Countdown the Core (CDC) (秒 読 み 芯) (Byouyomi Shin)
by Alcark
Summary: Story discontinued. More information on my profile.
1. Chapter 1 Initia

**¡Greetings! **please read the following before continuing**.**

For **spanish** translation of the story, check my profile.

**Disclaimer:** Shingeki no Kyojin characters are not mine. This is a fictional and nonprofit story. May contain violence, sex scenes, and coarse language, in addition to various social, religious and political issues.

From the author, I urge tolerance and respect regarding the presented material. I sincerely ask that any concerns make me know before anything, that includes misspellings, grammatical errors, among others. Moreover, the characters are not always right, so abstain to imitate them. Comments and reviews are welcome, so now enjoy :)

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><p><strong><em>Countdown the Core (CDC  __秒__読__み__芯__/ Byouyomi Shin)_**

¿Do you believe in reincarnation? Samsara goes back to the most primitive religions in history. Being transformed into this cycle of death to trial for their actions, however, the time it returns to step on this earth again is anonymous.  
>These people are now in an unfortunate trance in human history. The resources are depleted, conflicts increase, hunger spreads as fast as epidemics and hope decays much as cruelty rises in an emptiness.<br>This is an Earth, in 2017...

**Chapter 1 ****Initia**

Somewhere in the Atlantic sky/ February 1st, 9:27 a.m.

"The White Shark off the East" Airport Fráncort. A Boeing 707 aircraft, bright, two lines; Red and yellow fly over the vast blue sky of the Atlantic Ocean more than 800 km/h, near the Caribbean coast.  
>More than 100 passengers could admire from its windows the landscape behind the fins. But one of them, Eren Jäger; a young stubborn and determined, was distracted listening to music, soon to yield to sleep over the blue leather seat at resting.<p>

_"[Conflicts between global entities are intensifying... Armed uprisings in Africa... Arise anarchist movements...]",_ were the few statements that he managed to perceive selflessly from the news issued by the reduced TV monitors above the seat across from him.

"Eren..."  
>"...Hmm ...Now what happens...? Mikasa"<p>

The girl beside him, dark hair like her serene gaze, dropped his shoulder and reiterated: "Eren, wake up. Soon we shall arrive."

Following a big yawn, the boy opened his big emerald eyes, stretched, and looked out the window, still drowsy, while removing the headphones from his ears and watched as they approached the coast: "...Darseny, huh? I had never heard of it..."

The voice of a blond boy echoed between them. Supporting his arms on the seats: "That's not surprising, Eren. A tiny country so easily passes unnoticed in the maps. Nor is there any information on the web more than its location."

"Hey Thomas, sit down. I try to sleep...", said the passenger next to him.  
>"I-I'm sorry ... By the way, Samuel ¿have not wanted to come with your parents too?"<br>"They are in a _business trip_", highlighted still with closed eyes, "It's liberating, in a way... ¿What about you?"  
>"We are joined this damn old drunk", Eren kicked the front seat.<p>

The man seated quickly left his slumber with exhausted expression: "...Hey, hey...", he stammered, "Eren, stay quiet..."  
>"Don´t blame me, you've been the one that dragged me to the end of the day."<br>"¡Eren!", Mikasa rebuked him then looked at the man, "Excuse him, Mr. Hannes..."  
>"Don't worry, Mikasa. The Latin fresh air will change the attitude of your dear brother. And you know well you can call me uncle, he he."<br>"I had no problems with staying in Germany..."  
>"You have to be more flexible, Eren", interposed one of the passengers sitting next, running his smooth dark hair back, haughtily continued, "Besides, you saw how things are there and in the rest of Europe"<br>"I don't believe any shit of that, Nack... Tsk... If only it were allowed to step into the cabin something positive would come out of all this..."  
>"Come on, guys. It may be entertaining.", a fellow of silver hair as his eyes said without unstick a pamphlet, "The Republic of Darseny... it says this is a country in Latin America frequently visited by foreigners. <em>From <em>_lush __scenic beauty f__lora __and diverse__, __exotic __wildlife..._"  
>"Hm... Millius... does not say something more... interesting?", asked Nack beside, clasping his hands behind his head.<br>"Well... let's see... um..."

The young stubborn crossed arms: "Quite a waste of a trip..."  
>"…While I can be at your side...", murmured the girl with dark hair. Her lips stretch into a smirk.<br>"¿Huh? ¿Did you say something, Mikasa?", asked the young clueless.

Hannes imposing authority raised his hand: "Boys, boys, silent for once, you are not the only passengers here... y'know. These kids..."  
>"Ok, ok..."<p>

"Cheer up, we can always play soccer with them or something, they say there love it as we do. There will be no difference as at our town, if so."  
>"You are too optimistic, Thomas", Samuel patted his shoulder, "We have no idea how they are there or how we will be received"<br>Nack turned to the duo, "Well... let's try to get along with them. They will be our companions for a year and… I did not learn Spanish to waste it, guys."  
>"Yes... it was a pain in the ass (and I have it numb 'cause of sitting here...)", Eren complained, "Hey, Millius, ¿how much you check on the phone?"<br>"A bit of Darseny history on the wiki"  
>"¿What it says?"<br>"Not much. It says it was a victim of political and social problems... but nothing in detail. It's... it's kind of weird."  
>"Weird?", questioned Eren interested while lifting an eyebrow.<br>"There are many incomplete lines... only exists in Spanish and the edit history is the longest I've ever seen, in fact, the latest edition happened a few minutes ago."  
>"...There must be another site with information," said Mikasa.<br>"Actually, no. Those that exist are as few as the information they contain", replied sliding his finger on the touch screen.  
>"One more reason not to be here ...", muttered Eren.<br>"You're being paranoid", chimed Nack, "It's Latin America. Peaceful and humble. Do not take this student exchange as such, but rather as an exciting and now... interesting trip of recreation. Besides, is not it a bit late to thing about withdraw?"  
>"Whatever. I just want to get there soon. I'm starving."<br>"If you want... I can order some food for you", offered Mikasa.  
>"Soon we land, there's no point. And Mikasa... "Eren added removing his hood and the black sweater he wore.<br>"¿Yes?"  
>"You should take off the scarf. When we leave this plane, heat will be overwhelming."<br>She shifted her gaze to the red scarf around her neck and took it gently: "...I'll be fine but thanks for worrying… about me." A cute look crossed her inclined face.  
>"Suit yourself..."<p>

"Hey, kids", said Hannes turning to them, "¡Get comfortable because we are already crossing the coast! ¡In a few minutes we reach the airport!"  
>Hearing the man, students whispered among animated gestures and smiles: "¡Finally! ¡What a thrill!"<p>

A curious noise; like a din was heard amid the jubilation and got unnoticed by all except Thomas.

"Sam... you heard that?"  
>"… ¿What are you talking about?"<br>"That... noise..."  
>"I didn't hear anything... ¿turbulence?"<br>"But..."  
>"Maybe it was someone's cell phone", said Nack peering into his pocket, "...It was not mine."<br>"It's mine", said Milius taking it out of its sheath, "Surely a message from my mother, always worrying unnecessarily..."  
>"No, it wasn't the sound of a phone, guys."<br>"Calm down for once, Thomas. Soon we land", Eren said losing his temper.

The look became turbid in Milius. Breathless, his body was paralyzed for a few moments when reviewing the text message. The strange behavior was quick to draw attention to Nack beside him.

"Hey, Mil ¿Is something wrong?"  
>"W-What does it mean? ¿Is… that a joke?<br>"¿What? ¡Tell me!"

With a trembling hand, he slowly lifted the device and placed it in front of the boy, he came to read the message still open with intrigue.

"Hmm... _Don't __come home... We...__love you..._", he read aloud, "This..."

Before finishing his sentence, a loud noise was heard outside the plane followed by violent shaking. _The __parameter of __8 minutes...__  
><em>Passengers panicked immediately. Was hardly possible to understand what was happening between acute screams of women and the contents of the racks giving in to gravity and movement: "¡¿What the hell…!? ¡Fuck! ¡We gonna die! ¡WE GONNA DIE! ¡J-Jesus! ¡No! ¡Momma!"

Without even any announcement from the pilot or flight attendants. Eren held from his seat, looked out the window, thick smoke made it difficult to view. But a gust of wind helped him envision something immediately shook him, the right wing of the plane was gone.

"...We will..."

Perplexed, the next thing he felt was the hands of his sister hurriedly securing his belt. He saw the panic in her eyes they shared in the second longest that ever lived.  
>When making contact with hers, she saw his leaking face, static, clearly in shock. She closed her eyes, took him by the shoulders and hugged him vigorously. With shaking she whispered in his ear: "D-Do not worry, Eren... we'll be fine…"<p>

- [Ø] -

Republic of Darseny / Acracia Highlands / February 1st, 9:30 a.m

Located northeast of the country, the Acracia mountains rising to over 3000 meters above sea level. Of vegetation in low altitude, high cliffs, large streams and temperatures below 20 ° C; are part of the conditions to which a group of young explorers were exposed in a unique camp trip tens of miles away from civilization. There were, at that time, taking slow steps away of the little cabin in the middle of nowhere. Wore the school uniform; a white shirt and dark skirt just above the knees on women, and also clear shirt and long dark pants to the ankles on men.  
>Two of them were delayed. Distinguishable by the sharing similarities; blonde hair and blue eyes like the sea.<p>

"...Armin", called the girl removing her hood, "We are left behind"

The young man crouched watching a bush and immersed between it and an extravagant book used as a mere support for notes in his hands, "Oh sorry, Annie, will soon finish with them."

"¿Don't you think you take this too seriously?", the young blonde sighed, "...It's just a field study."  
>"Well... if we don't do this we'll be admonish by Mr. Shadis...", he replied with a slight smile.<br>"You shall never change..." she muttered.

Returning to view his notes, Armin said: "These are interesting, don't you think? Look", urged his companion to approach beside him.  
>With a pencil, he showed a small red insect nest: "They are fire ants; are distinguished from others by their brown head and body with a darker abdomen."<br>"...What's so interesting?"  
>"What they symbolize" he smiled.<p>

She only changed her serene gaze property to him, without saying more, waiting for an explanation, which worried the boy a little.

"Y-you see... I admire their organization, could be considered utopian", he told showing several of them loitering, "Most of those who go abroad are female workers. Inside are the queen, the males fertilize her or are soldiers defending the nest."  
>"It sounds sexist..."<br>"Well… it can be but... each member has a goal in life to contribute for the good of the group. No disputes, no arguments ...", his facet became depressed, "No anguish, pain or suffering... You think someday... ¿we can live that way?"

The blonde lady knew perfectly the reference to which he alluded; the turbid situation where were what they called home. She looked into the distance, into a vast plain without settlements as far as possible: "...That will not happen until you change your attitude... or _theirs_."  
>"...I wonder when it will happen ..."<p>

A deep voice spoke a few feet away: "¡Hey, you two! ¿Why are you sitting there alone?"

A couple of guys, one more robust than the other, one higher than the other, approached.

"¡Reiner, Berthold!", exclaimed the young blond.  
>"I didn't know that part of you, Armin", Reiner said with a sly smile.<br>"N-no, we just… I just had..."  
>"Come on, come on. We will meet with the other groups at the top of the mountain as we agreed. Don't want to get lost, ¿do you?. "<br>"¡It's true! Soon it will be lunchtime", Armin got up, put the book with notes on it in a backpack, stretched his arms and looked at his companion, extending his hand, "Let's go, Annie."  
>"Ok..."<p>

Leaving them to move forward, Reiner whispered to his timid friend: "...¿You see, Berth? Only worked on the study, there was no need to call me."  
>"Sorry...", he replied quietly.<p>

Not far away, one group, one quite jubilant, could hardly be ignored by its peers.

"¡Gyaaa ! ¡Connie! ¡Take it away! ¡Take it away!"

A young member of long, brown hair in a ponytail complained, desperately waving her hands above her head. Another, short and shaved, simply wring laughter behind her.

"¡Ha ha ha!", recovered a little breath, "¡I thought you were hungry, Sasha! ¿Didn't ya say you would eat up anything?"  
>"¡But no bugs! ¡I hate them!" she replied, looking for someone else, "¡Jean! ¡Please help me!"<br>"I'm coming, I'm coming..."  
>This guy answered while playing in his cellphone, leaning against a tree. He put it away and approached her face to face. "...Head down."<br>"¡¿Y-You see!? ¡Tell me you see it!"  
>"No...", he turned to shout the joker, "¡Damn you, Connie! I'm in no mood for this."<br>"Dude, it was just a joke, nothing more than that," defended himself, somewhat embarrassed.  
>"Tch... got it,", he said removing a tiny spider from her hair.<br>The frightened victim looked in front of him and smiled with her usual enthusiasm, "¡Thank you so much, Jean!"  
>"Never mind...", he sighed, "Being outdoors so long as it is a hassle, don't make it worse, did you hear me?"<br>"Fine..."  
>"Guys, lower your voice or Mr. Keith's will hear", said a young girl of slim body and black voluminous hair, setting aside shrub in her path.<p>

A boy followed her and imitated, running a hand through his messy hair. Would be impossible for him the discretion, not due to his uprooted uniform, but the deprivation of his right eye: "You listened her. Nor do I have a desire to be punished again for your revelry, Connie."  
>"¡Come on! I was hoped that Mina spoils the party, but ¿you too, Kyklo? He he... "<br>"¡Hey!", replied the young lady in her arms crossed.  
>"You know me, Connie, I say what I think... And Jean ...", turned his eye to the young boy, "I must assume that it is your full knowledge the place where we are and the implications that characterize it, your efforts are foolish ."<br>"That doesn't concern you", manifested irritation, trying to get signal waving the phone in the sky, with no success.  
>"You rely too heavily on such devices..."<br>"Don't talk like you don't want to have one."  
>"I've survived without one of those, I think I do not need them. Also I must stress that you were ordered the duty to leave it in the bus, as everyone here."<p>

Tired of arguing, Jean menacingly approached his counterpart: "_A natural __experience,_ ¿huh? That's stupid... As if the technology disappear overnight... "

They exchanged glances, waiting for a next move of the other. However, they were interrupted by a distant echo in the place.

"Guys, ¿can you hear that?", asked Sasha flipping everywhere.

Other groups stopped their walk to find the source of the noise.  
>As a taciturn world; only the gradually echo was possible to perceive in that long moment.<br>In one group of the closest to the top of the hill, was the tallest member the first one to distinguish the source that so much attention snatched, Berthold.

"Berth, ¿something wrong?", asked Reiner quickly at his shocked face, then follow the same trail of vision.

Realizing the situation, turned overwhelmed looking at all his companions: "¡TO THE GROUND!", he shouted as he pushed his friend to the other side.

No time to react, they observed perplexed as a huge flaming airplane passed a few meters above them, releasing its structures into pieces and destroying irregularities in its path.

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><p><em>¿Is it possible to live without conflagrations or conflict is part of human nature?<em>

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><p>.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2 Plate Trail

**Chapter 2 Plate Trail**

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><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>  
>A simple trip ended in disaster. The plane that took off from the German airport had now suffered an accident. Apparently it is the same which has been sighted in a tailspin over the lands of the unknown Latin American country, surprising the residents. ¿What became of Eren, Mikasa and other passengers?<em>

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><p>Republic of Darseny  Acracia Highlands / February 1st, 9:31 a.m

At 600 meters from the peak, a humble log cabin of 6 windows and one entrance, was the only significant settlement far as the eye could see.

The silence that characterized it looked sporadically interrupted by lowing of oxen, horses neighing of surroundings and more often, discussions from the interior of the cabin.

"Hugo ...", sighed the half shaved young man, peering inside boxes of trinkets on the ground, "I want you to get off the foot of the table and help me with this... now."

"Yes ma! He he", replied sitting with great indifference," Marlo, Marlo, Marlo... don' know why the rush, we aren't watching, did ya forget? "

"Still, it remains our duty. It was for this that we offered us to stay rather than accompany our peers."

The big man then ran his hair back and climbed back wearing boots on the counter: "Definitely not my line, I hate outfields."

"... And do you love food? Is not it?

"Repeat that, Moe! Repeat it!", claimed startled.

"M-Moe...? Tsk, if you do not give liability, do it to pay the debt with the owner of this place", waved hands emphasizing his point: "Thanks to his generosity, took place this trip, but if you are willing to sleep out with the cows, go ahead."

"I don't owe anything to anyone...", Hugo muttered, "Y' know what? I'll get some drinks on the bus, so that the old senile didn't notice them. "

"¿¡Drinks!?", asked surprised, "Did you...? "

"I poured them in natural soda bottles to disguise. Classic. You know, a group of young guys, pretty girls and now, no one in charge, is the best or not?", concluded with wicked smile as he walked out the front door.

"How… ...? Hey! Wait! Help me to unpack!"

"Go ask for help from Larry or Curly, that's not my business", Hugo withdrew, closing the door.

"(Damn miserable loafer... slags like him are abound...), he thought continuing the work, "...One another week remains enduring him… what am I paying for?...

Outside, Hugo walked to the classic yellow and black lined student's bus.

After a huge yawn, went to the side of luggage compartment. Extracted some keys from his vest and opened it.

A lot of messy bags and backpacks, most on that site and sufficient to survive several days abroad.

What mattered to the man was under a pile of clothes on one side; a small blue cooler.

He deepened between the disorders and extracted it grasping both ends to let it near his feet: "Phew, good good. It's still cold. Now the kit... where is it...?", He looked away objects.

By finding the man what he thought was the right one, opened it and immediately confirmed to extract from it a package with traits of having been previously opened: "_Moisturizing whey powder_", read aloud, "It's a fact that contains powder but not whey powder", said the obese Hugo sarcastically, "If that Marlo was bothered by a little bit of alcohol, he would kill me if he knew this, he he."

He opened the package and pulled a bit of white powder to his nostrils and inhaled quickly. It was cleaned with his shirt' sleeves and surreptitiously closed the package to return it to the First Aid Kit.

"Huff, is hot out here, a drink will be great.", bowed to open the cooler.

Before committing such an act of idiocy, stopped because of a whistle in the environment. He looked up and with dilated pupils only managed to see a large bird approached before changing course overlooking the hill; many young people descended while making gestures as if they tried take the wind and set it aside to one side.

"...What do you do? Why I should move aside? What... the cabin?", turned to it, "Just a sec, I pick this and..."

With all the patience that a man could demand, knelt and rose to each shoulder, each bag, to advance towards the house parsimoniously, the cabin bordered by frightened animal running away.

The group approaching jump to the floor. The remains touched them and the Great Silver Phoenix slid through the open countryside to stop near the vehicle.

In what was formerly called airplane, one of its passengers, Eren, gradually separated the eyelids in his scraping face under sparks and thick smoke.

Blurred vision, trouble breathing... broke away from the arms of her sister who lay motionless beside him.

The vision faded sporadically, although it managed to glimpse a crimson liquid dripping from the girl's arm. Seeing it forced him to react.

"Mika... tch…", said with aching forehead, "Mi... kasa..."

He looked up to see the chaotic scene around. Several passengers were crushed by debris, perhaps other unconscious.

He returned the blurred vision Mikasa and difficulty moving, undid the belt of both: "Mikasa...", stammered the young dazed near the face of the girl.

Between the noise of electric cables and fire spread, multiple steps were heard a few meters from a large opening on one side of the plane. A piece of metal was sent forward and from the hole, a little blond boy peered covering his mouth from smoke.

"¡¿Are you ok?!", asked stressed. He turned to what appeared to be a call to his companions.

Eren just could perceive ambiguous figure moving but could not understand what they expressed.

"Come on! We have to get them out fast! There is not much time!", said the young blue eyed entering the place; a lady of his size and two tall burly men followed him.

Only remained a minute.

From the outside, a safe distance, other students were watching impacted, the disastrous situation. Fear and cold sweat reflected on the face of each. It was then that the lower height one proved to be the first to open his mouth.

"...Jean, sh-should not we do s-something ...?", he asked without taking his wide eyes away of the aircraft.

The boy nearby soaked his throat with saliva; nervous smiling replied: "Y-You're insane if you think I will risk m-my life in there..."

Back to mention those words felt to be displaced from the shoulder to the side; another boy intervened: "Tsk, cowards. Stay away!", exclaimed Kyklo who later dislodged a sleeve of his uprooted uniform, tying it between the face and neck.

"K-Kyklo, wait!", cried her friend Mina reaching out, but the boy had already started the rush.

The other students looked at each other wondering what to do in such stressful circumstances. Most retreated in short distances. The remaining observers lay paralyzed.

After a short period of uncertainty was feasible to distinguish multiple subjects leave the airplane on fire. They carried with them the former passengers they were able to extract from the place in any way possible.

In the last of them Kyklo was helping Hannes to move. Mikasa was supported by Eren and Armin on their shoulders.

The blond turned to notice how the flames spread rapidly over the whole plane, he withdrew his gaze to the beholders while accelerating the steps and shouted: "¡Guys, get away!", with all his breath.

Eren still in his delirium, immediately knew what would happen. With both arms pushed the boy to the ground and grabbed Mikasa to follow him.

A deafening roar echoed back and the explosion took place. The intense flare rose into the air. Remains of metal were violently expelled in all directions, some were embedded in the side of the bus, almost to be reversed due of the stunning shockwave.

Under the resulting smoke, Mikasa woke up. Slowly opened her eyes when was splashed by a sweat drop; her brother face to face was exhaling. When she recognized the situation, the girl with dark eyes and fair skin instantly turned red.

"¡E-Eren! ¿¡Are we...!?"

For a moment, she thought it was another of her dreams but for him, disoriented by deafness and a shrill whistle, it was a trance in which he was unable to understand what she stammered. However, seeing that she responded, he threw himself aside to lie face up exhausted with arms outstretched. Gasps, then falls silent.

Mikasa turned uneasily repeating his name but he had already succumbed to the inevitable break.

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><p><em>¿Would you risk your life for a stranger?<em>

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><p><em>.<em>


	3. Chapter 3 Choice Regrets

**Chapter 3 Choice's Regrets**

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><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>__  
>The air disaster was not over yet. Among the clouds of smoke, foreigners got out with haste from the plane on fire, trying to save those who could with the help of Armin and his classmates.<em>

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><p>Republic of Darseny  Acracia Highlands / February 1st, 10:20 a.m

The animals returned to their instinctive work around the humble cottage. Overall, serenity and calm originals became more apparent even while back was not possible to say the same thing in the same field.

The blinding sun rose above; the heat intensified, luminescence, in the mountain environment.

To hide, the students used all the material at hand to lift multiple tents and curtains in the area. The small cabin did not offer enough space to treat people rescued from recent accident while being exempted being a large sum of individuals blessed with such a fortune.

Treading green herbs the young of blond hair and blue eyes approached to a shelter between one wall of the cabin and clear curtains. In his hands carrying a silver tray complemented by various bandages, painkillers and bottled water.

He carefully removed the curtains to find Eren wrapped in a sleeping bag, Mikasa sitting on her knees with hands in her laps.

Armin noticed the deep breathing of both. Smiled lightly and proceeded more cautiously: "(It seems that she needed rest too...)"

He changed the bandages on Eren's head and quietly approached Mikasa.

He took a close cover and placed it around the back of the girl. Without giving him time to react; almost instinctively she grabbed the blond man's forearm away at her shoulder.

"¡Eek!"

She lifted her index finger and held it to her mouth, requesting the conservation of silence. Meanwhile, Armin nodded and pointed out: "(Still suspicious of us... I understand…)"

Both left the place and headed across the field.

Mikasa watched the wounded being treated for students. More important was for her to find one in specific before being interrupted by the voice of the boy.

"Erm... sorry about earlier... ... ... ¿do you speak Spanish?"

She stared at him. A dark look that bothered him even more than before. Some of her past was reflected in it. The young man felt that, assimilated it, but it would still be more than a hunch unfounded. It culminated in a worrisome silence.

"... Mikasa Ackerman", was presented with a soft tone, "They taught us the language months before the trip"

Her serenity gave him a little more confidence.

"My name is Armin Arlert, glad to meet you", both slightly arched lips.

"Can you tell me where we are? Who are all these people?"

"We are in the Acracia Highlands, southeast of the capital. At first I only hoped it was a common tour but is now difficult to understand what has happened... by the way, I noticed that the airplane in which you came was from abroad (and not only that...)", he mused before continuing, "... ¿where you from?"

"Most of us came from Nördlingen, Germany ..."

"¡Waah! ¿For real? I always wanted to visit Germany. My grandfather was born there", said Armin with joy and longing, "As a kid, I had amazing stories of his youth as a historian.

"I see ...", muttered Mikasa looking down, "Maybe before was a good idea to travel, but now the world is different."

"Oh... you say that due to the tension between governments lately...", Armin did the same, then looked to the remoteness of the field, "Things didn't look good before retiring to the mountains. In fact, we haven´t had contact with the media for more than a week ago. I could not clarify the state of play out there"

"¿Do you have cell phones?"

A blonde student close saw them together; interrupted the discussion in which she was and approached firmly. She pushed away her bangs: "...We don't live in the stone age as the world thinks."

"H-Hey, Annie!", Armin greeted with enthusiasm, but that did not change the serious side of her face.

"¿Who is she?"

"She is..."

"Mikasa", replied the young of smooth dark hair.

"A survivor of the accident..."

Both exchanged stares for a moment trying to recognize what words failed to. Armin felt the tension between them.

"Huh... well..."

Annie closed the silence and continued.

"... Our phones were sheltered on the bus when the accident took place", invited them to observe the means of transport more closely, noting the burnt wreckage of the plane embedded alongside, "The result of the explosion has damaged the majority and those that weren't, have no signal. It's not our day "

"Hmm ..."

"Armin"

"¡Y-Yes!

"Don't forget that we will meet in 10 minutes to plan what to do with the wounded (and us ...)", turned to walk away again to talk with Reiner and Berthold.

"All Right..."

Something troubled Mikasa. A standard discordant the common sense. She looked at him and throw it out of her chest without hesitation.

"¿What are we waiting here? We had to travel to the nearest medical facility followed the incident..."

"Well... that would have been right but there are rumors that prevent us act now," said Armin.

"¿Rumors?"

"That's it… I think everything will be clarified at the meeting... well... I guess you want to visit other passengers on the plane, right?" He smiled, had noticed beforehand that she was looking for someone since the beginning.

"Yes..."

"They're over there. Come on", said the young of blue eyes pointing to a set of sheets and curtains several meters away.

Ignoring others, Mikasa focused on a person between them and approached him hastily, pushing away the subject attending him.

"¡Mr Hannes!", cried concerned while holding the hand of the bandaged man at rest.

"Neglect. Is not as bad as it looks", announced Kyklo removing plastic gloves of his hands, "But I'm not an expert on the subject and I should not be considered as one (I'd lying if I ensure that he shall improve).

Mikasa pressed her teeth and stared at the student: "Why...? ¿¡Why they weren't properly treated!? "

Her claim startled the boy and those around him who were silenced to hear the sake of discussion.

"...Abstain to make a fuss, Miss. Consider the wounded."

Seeing that his words did not mitigate her, he turned to Armin at his side.

"Armin, ¿when shall start the meeting?"

"Hm... in... a few minutes, Annie has told me."

Then, the single eye of the young was set back to Mikasa. Unmutated his facade.

"In that case, your answer shall not be delayed. We would appreciate that you help us gathering the most. It is something that concerns everyone, or am I wrong?"

A faint voice was heard among them.

"It seems... you´re fine, Mikasa"

She held the man's hand harder.

"¡Sir!", she reiterated.

"I've said a thousand times... you can call me... uncle, he he...", said the man forcing out a short laugh, "I see you're okay... ¿What about your lil' brother and the other children?"

"Eren so is. He's sleeping right now."

"It's good to hear... If anything happen to you, your parents would kill me, heh..."

The man's face turned serious posterior to those words. Thereafter he continued speaking German to prevent eavesdropping of the two young men around.

Gestured to come closer and whispered.

"...Mikasa. I have something important to give you... ", turned the hand of the young with his left, his right removed from his neck a silver chain. It hung a strange key with curious antique look and handed it in her open palm. Then closed.

"¿What is this?", asked Mikasa confused.

"... This trip hasn't been pure coincidence. The only way to bring you here... was convincing the principal of the institute... that was a good idea he he…"

"...¿Why?"

"It's not right... the world is not right... A letter from Grisha... made me promise I would take you safely to this place...", the man began to weaken increasingly, "Hide the key... especially from Eren... must go... east... ... ... "

"¡Sir!"

"It seems to have fallen asleep again," added Kyklo.

As Armin, had some degree of interest in the conversation but decided not to mention anything about it; respected that: "It is time, Armin."

"...Yes, I'll tell the others"

"I shall accompany you"

"¿What about you? Mika…"

Without finishing the sentence, Mikasa was heading back to the shelter of the young of emerald eyes. This one was slowly removing the curtains.

The man who just treated. The girl with dark hair and the big green eyes' boy. Seeing them on the same stage... An intense and heady feeling of nostalgia invaded the mind and body of Armin. As if the time would have provided it early, sometime in the past.

He paused thoughtfully few seconds. Kyklo revived him.

"¿What are you waiting for? ¿Is something wrong?"

"N-Nothing...!", he said waving his hands in front, "Just remembering... I guess…"

Long faces glimpsed in students who roamed the countryside. With dusty and torn clothes, kneeled to provide support to the injured people from the recent event.

Unable to process what happened, came to light circumspect rumors through murmurs and whispers. They did nothing but confuse and stress them instead of the opposite.

The feeling of insecurity was as obvious as palpable, but soon the truth would come out.

Meanwhile, in the small shelter, Eren separated the curtain to glimpse the outside. With his hand he hid the blinding rays of the Sun, which allowed him to distinguish an approaching figure.

Until it moved to some distance away was that the young man could recognize it, although hearing her voice extracted any doubt.

"¡Eren!"

Exhausted, he did not answer at first. Just let her reduced him from the shoulders back to the sleeping bag behind.

"Eren, rest as long as necessary"

The young stranger held his forehead in an attempt to reorient "Mikasa... ¿What the hell happened? ¿Where...?

"I'm not quite sure yet but we made it out safe from the accident"

"The accident... Darseny... ¡The guys! ¡Tsk!... "

"Do not startle more than necessary. Mr. Hannes is well", pressed the hand that still carrying the archaic key.

Proceeded to hide it in the pocket of her tight blue jeans, however, the young man noticed her.

"That's..."

He took her hand away still closed into a fist.

What he saw Mikasa had not noticed until then; her bandaged hand completely. The contact was painful but also warm.

"Damn!... (It was my fault...)", Eren thought with some degree of repentance.

She understood how he felt though he did not mention a word, it was the first time she saw him in that state.

She placed her other hand on his, locking affectionately. Then looked closely with a slight smile.

"…It's Okay"

She was left up in the moment but a blatant scandal from around exempt any ignorance. The acclaimed agglomeration had begun.

Mikasa sighed as never before: "... The meeting"

"¿Meeting? ¿What do you mean?", asked Eren, still somewhat spoiled.

"Everything will be clarified, they have said... I must attend. Please, take a rest"

"Enough of breaks", said removing the bandages from his forehead, "I gotta make them lot of questions"

Seeing his apparent good state, there was no reason to refuse. She nods peacefully.

It'd better if he witnesses the situation for himself. Therefore, she stood up and extended her hand to accompany him: "…Let us hasten"

* * *

><p><em>Nothing is worth more than human life by a simple fact, it is irreplaceable…<em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	4. Chapter 4 Divergence I

**Chapter 4 Divergence I**

* * *

><p><strong><em>The story so far:<em>**

_The survivors of the accident slowly recomposed in the Latin Republic of Darseny, some did not make it and others were wounded. The latter were treated by residents before a meeting with the group._

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Acracia Highlands / February 1, 10:55 a.m.

The calm that once looked back to green and peaceful countryside was threatened again.

Babbling, discussions, screams, immature and superficial protests were issued by the youth in the circular congregation outside the small cabin.

Several brought with seats and blankets available to be partakers of the striking dispute. Others served as support for the wounded concerned.

In the latest, Eren and Mikasa differed at a slow pace, pushing through the public uproar.

Most of those involved were present.

Noting that, Annie who patiently waited idly, stood. Reiner, Armin and Mina followed.

A curious large black bag hanging from the shoulder of strong youth.

Despite the visible harmless appearance of the young blonde, her teammates already knew her beforehand so perceived the urgent need to pay attention, seated and silent as puppies.

First she looked at them all and then took a breath to start.

"Many at this time may be wondering why we keep waiting in this desolate place after what happened. That's the reason that we have met. "

Murmurs began to be heard to sneak into the spectators. Reiner took the opportunity to take out a short review to Mina: "Heh, it's sure to say I'll never get used to hear her talking like that."

Girl with voluminous hair, slender body rolled her eyes towards him: "Well, she is part of the student council, for us is nothing out of the ordinary."

"He he, and all because of you"

"Shh, allowed her to continue"

Annie waited a little to get passivity back and with a nod invited Mina to continue. She stepped forward.

"I think we'd better start with the foreign guys. Please raise your hand to present and discuss your doubts, if there is any."

The formal process seemed out of place but equally their ignorance of local customs prompted them to follow suit.

Started the young of black hair sideways. He shook his dark blue shirt of short neck that was wearing and a bit nervous raised his arm in the air.

"M-My name is Samuel and I'll speak for my colleagues absent, Thomas Wagner, Nack Teaz and Mr. Hannes who may not participate...", he stopped a few moments to observe the above lying in the shelter of injuries to several meters from them and returned his gaze to Mina, "What we want to know is ..."

"¡No more bullshit! ¡We're just wasting time!", Eren suddenly lifted ignoring impediments of his sister and said, "¿¡What the hell happened to the plane in which we were traveling!? ¡¿And there isn't a damn hospital here!? ¡Respond!"

Mina fearful of reprimand, backed unanswered.

"¿And who you think you are, stranger?", said a boy of medium height, short brown hair, continuing with burlesque gesture, "You forget that you're no longer in your country. Here your word is as valuable as shit and out there sure was worth less than that"

"¡¿What did you say!?"

The emerald-eyed boy was about to go for him if not for the intervention of Mikasa holding his arm.

"Eren, do not do anything rash, please. It's not the right time."

"¡Let me go! ¡I'll take care of this bastard and we'll go out of this shitty country at once!"

Jean intended to answer but the appearance of the lady of dark hair left him breathless: "(¿Who is her...?)"

"Hey, Jean", was heard from the crowd, "Wipe your mouth, ha ha ha"

"¡Ksk! ¡You, shut up!"

A member of the circle, the one-eyed, raised his hand in the middle of the discussion: "I am somewhat according to the two spoiled children, however, I disapprove of their ways to express..."

"And there you go again, Kyklo", a fed up fat man stressed, "I get to hear you speaking as a steward one more second and will be me who'll send you to the hospital"

Before him, at the other end of the dispute was brought Marlo: "¿What are you talking about, Hugo? If anyone should be punished here is you. "

"¿Do ya still keep that up, Moe?", Hugo replied combing his hair backwards with one hand,"Yes, I brought with me a little bit of crack ¿what will you do about it?"

"You brought... ¿¡WHAT!?"

The tension mounted as supporters of the scandal.

"Come on, guys! Slow down!", Sasha manifested her intention with her hands, "¡Connie, help me!"

The little shaven man sat quietly beside one of the seats on the green grass, he turned and sat down: "Hah! Ha ha! Not at all, Sasha. This' getting intresting (no idea how things became like this, though, heh).

"¡ENOUGH!"

The chaotic discussion seemed endless until appeared that claim as it temporary conclusion.

The responsible was being ignored by the fact that he had never done anything like it.

"¡...Armin!", said Annie surprised watching him recovering some air.

The blond took a break to return to his familiar facet.

"I... I'm sorry, guys, but...", changed the look to Mikasa, "As she said, this is not a good time to discuss."

"Then let the shit aside and spit it once for all", claimed Jean, "¿What is it that you hide so much?"

"Well, you see...", Armin returned view to the rest of the public, the gradual growth of concern are noted, "We have reasons to believe... the armed conflict on a global scale we have feared for so many years has been unleashed, and we have evidence indicating the possibility that all of us are involved directly in it... Reiner"

He heard his name and moved with him. Armin continued.

"After the crash I reviewed the rubble. I had noticed something on the plane before the explosion and was confirmed..."

The strangers, Eren, Mikasa and Samuel, gave more attention to the story.

"At first we thought that the cause of the incident was due to a common failure, however, the declaration of Thomas then made us rethink the idea. It was then considered an anomalous precedent and I thought that might be a positive ray."

Samuel got up immediately upon hearing: "H-He complained of a strange noise but... didn't think it was something real. If only I had taken him seriously... (Not to mention the news...)"

A three places away, Sasha was speechless, full of ignorance. Watched them all and raised her hand: "Hum... ¿am I the only one who doesn't know what a positive ray is?"

"Don't ya worry, we are two, he he…", said Connie scratching his cheek.

Does not have much time, but anyway Armin stopped to explain it the most superficial way possible.

"A positive ray is like a normal one but not born from the base of a cloud but from the top. It's reverse. Expel most of its branches into space. What matters to us is that they have an unusual likely to be large enough to meet unexpected distances far from the base of the cloud. That means that even seemingly sunny days like this, can reach us. More easily to an airplane"

"Oh... ¡¿That means they can drop upon us right now!?"

"It is difficult for a common one to be received by a human being, positive one... arguably impossible."

"Phew..."

"You said _"considered"_ other reason", Connie commented, "If it wasn' a ray ¿then what?"

"More importantly", added Jean with smug expression on his face, "¿What evidence you have?"

"I guess that's my signal", said Reiner arching lips.

The robust boy slowly approached the center of the circle and unpacked the big bag from his shoulder to the floor.

"Do not panic when you see this, guys"

He turned to see Armin, who nodded his head. Then dropped the plastic bag that covered the irregular object; a white piece of metal over 1 meter with traces of burns.

At first glance multiple holes through it in its entirety, small bullet holes were distinguished.

Youth and adults present at the meeting immediately jumped and tension mixed with heavy uncertainty began to take over their minds at an alarming rate.

"Yes, our suspicions are true", said Armin in a melancholy tone, "A third world war has finally begun to our backs... That said, we can not return to school, not without thinking..."

"¡I-I saw it!"

The disturbing conversation was interrupted by the arrival of an unexpected guest; young grizzly hair like his eyes, shuddering while approaching the crowd discarding tissues and bandages that covered him.

"¡Millius!", exclaimed Samuel.

"¡I... I have to go back! ¡My mother... my family ... I-I must know if they are ok!"

Seeing the disconcerting state only served to worsen the panic in people. Moreover, it gave much credence to the recent statement by Armin. Nobody would behave that way but for a real cause.

"Heh, don't you think that what they have babbled all this time is real, uh?", told Jean twisting his face, "That guy is just hallucinating by the accident".

"If you do not believe it, it's just your problem...", Annie said quietly, walking over to stand against the cocky boy, who could not help but feel the fear go his spine, "In that case, there is a solution to this."

The little lady turned in view of the multitude of young people and outsiders. Closed her big blue eyes in meditation and then watched each and every one of them: "¡Decide... all of you!", she exclaimed, "We will act according to what he claims as mere assumptions. If you ignore what you've seen, there is no more to do. It is useless to deal with a cynical..."

"Annie, that means..." Armin muttered.

"Yes... ¡Those who have the desire to follow him back to the capital are free to do so, those who do not, come with us! Recollect your possessions... We shall leave in 10 minutes."

* * *

><p><em>To choose between two equal paths… Shall results always be different… <em>

* * *

><p>.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5 Divergence II

**Chapter 5 Divergence II**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>_

_The long-awaited meeting in the Latin Republic, to figure out what to do now, suspected that the air-crash was not just an accident, but the evidence of a World War taking place._

* * *

><p>Point of view: Mina  Kyklo

11:35 a.m.

As noon approached, the heat was expanding the metallic coatings manifesting tiny cottage clicks. Within it, the backside and the two buses turned out to be the only places to shelter from the burning caused by the hot sun. And in the second, the young of voluminous black hair devoted her time to agglomerate each of the many sleeping bags on the ground to roll up with ropes, ready to be packed later in the trip back.

The one-eyed boy came barely between a silver small bus reserved and a corner of the settlement, carrying in both hands water bottles: "Mina, have some, please. It would be a serious problem if you faint because of dehydration", Kyklo extended a hand with the drinking.

"Thanks but... I'm fine", refused while loading a bag under each arm.

"I shall give you a hand if you let me"

"It's not a problem, really..."

Kyklo walked to the student and exchanged a bottle for the bags. She took it gently with hands in silence, without a sip, a sad expression on her face.

"Um..."

"¿Have you decided?", asked the young man squatting, continuing the work.

"About that... there's no need to do this for me..."

"It would be wrong to say that I am the strongest loading these objects, however, also would be lying I am unable to do such a basic task."

"I... I did not mean that."

Mina took a couple of steps closer to him and grabbed the bottle harder.

"I really appreciate what you've done for me all these years, really, but I will not force you to come with me ..."

"Not so, I wish feverishly accompany you"

"Lier...", she muttered imperceptibly.

"¿Hm?"

"Our paths will be different to go back and ... I know you want to be with Charlotte... It's okay, I can take care of myself... I do not need your help..."

"Mina ..." Kyklo stopped looking at the lying piled of sacks, "You know I do not lie, and this time is not an exception. Yes, I want to be with her... I want to make sure that she is safe, I want to see her radiant, blinding smile again, that would comfort me enough to leave this world without remorse."

The Innocent student felt distressed when listening to him, everything only worsened her condition.

"Th-Then... you never wanted to be… with m..."

"However", he interrupted before completion to stand and slowly approaching front of her, "That is also directed towards you, Mina."

"B-But if it were not for that promise ..."

"May our paths have crossed in her orphanage or because of our promise do not change my appreciation for you two", the boy watched her with his only one eye staring as he placed a hand on her right shoulder"... If your desire is to follow Annie wherever she goes, without a doubt, I shall do the same"

Point of view: Jean / Sasha / Connie

11:36 a.m.

Three subjects met the luggage received from the cottage for distribution inside the bus and lateral compartment. That was the task entrusted to them by the little blonde.

"¡Phew! Began to get hot here...", said Connie unbuttoning a little the white school shirt he wore.

Resting one hand against the transportation and taking a break while seeing Jean violently throwing the luggage into the compartment from the floor in his classic facet of bitterness.

"Hey, hey, Jean! ¿What did you the luggage so you treat it badly?

Found unable to hear or he just ignored him.

The boy of brown occupied all his concentration between the endless task and a small group of people several meters around the pseudo-shelters for wounded. The shaven-headed boy followed the trail of vision.

"They're... the foreigners, right?"

Forcing more sight, noticed that one of them constantly watched, more precisely to Jean, crossing glances of hatred.

"That guy... ¿_Eren_ was his name?", he turned to see his classmate, "Come on, Jean ¿why so much hatred against those guys? We barely met them.

"Tsk, you stay out...", said still annoying, "It´s certain that bastard will not accompany us back, in fact, nor do I care if he gets lost in these woods"

"Hum... heh, by the way, about that..."

A voice was brought into the conversation, seemed to come inside the bus.

"¡Hey, Connie! ¿¡Why did' stop!? ¡Bring more!"

"¿Sasha?, Jean asked, "¿¡Why's she in there!? "

"Packing is what they ordered us to do ¿right?", Connie replied with a sarcastic gesture, "She said as there's not a lot of time would be faster if I leave backpacks at the door while she takes care to accommodate them in."

"Think idiot, you left Sasha alone with our stuff"

"¿So...?"

"With our food, it's obvious that she cheated you", manifested Jean neglecting his duties, ready to verify what has just been said.

"Nah, she wouldn' do something like that, I know her from forever... (¿does she...?)"

Both boys entered the vehicle in a hurry, Jean forward.

The seats were tall and dark inside because the curtains on each window.

There was not any broken glass or hazardous waste because of the accident; were removed in advance. Therefore, it was not necessary to consider precautions.

Then they advanced directly to the back where it was supposed to be saved the luggage.

Each time it was harder to see through while continuing, with their ear the first to distinguish anything; crunches, opening packages, similar to the noise of rats digging a dump.

And then noticed something dark behind the seats.

"¿Wh-What the hell is that?", questioned Connie peering over the shoulder of Jean, who retreated.

At that time, the lump turned to them and they easily discovered what it was. The young Sasha Braus choking of junk food and soda, with a smile of pleasure that fluids still were slipping.

They exchanged glances speechless for a few seconds. Then the girl quickly took multiple packets and fled, throwing Jean sideways.

"¡Guh...! ¡Stop her, Connie! "

The low boy stretched his arms doing an imitation of a web. Sasha jumped to dodge but was caught by the waist, although the force generated sent them both down.

Jean rose from his seat and knelt to check the supplies.

"Shit, look at this... ¡There's only half of what we got in!"

Meanwhile, Sasha struggled to try to get rid of Connie. Little he understood her grievances with the mouth still full of snacks.

"¡Lt m gu! ¡L-Leav me!"

"¡Gsk!"

In the motion, the hands of the boy repeated times rubbed the breasts and torso of her youthful body, she ended her feast to be understood.

"¡C-Connie! ¡Watch where you're touching!"

"It-It's your fault! Stop moving!"

"You two… ¡Stay quiet for once!"

They listened to Jean as order received by a pair of trained dogs; stopped instantly sitting in their closest seats.

While the student of brown hair walked among them to front, Connie opened and closed the hand that still remembered the softness enjoyed moments ago, but timidly was unable to see his friend's eyes, she equally by her side.

"Sasha...", Jean said quietly, leaning an elbow on the seat of the girl, "¿¡How you intend to fix this!?"

"¿W-What's the problem?", Connie interfered, "¿You're not going back to school at the end of the day?"

"...¿Does that mean you're not coming?", turned to see him.

"Well..."

"¿Have you believed all those who babbled nonsense?"

"If so...! ¿¡Why have we been carrying so much food here!? You also believe in them! ¡¿Isn'it?!"

What he said to the boy had some high height accuracy. Whether being cautious or gullible, it was an irrefutable fact that betrayed the young.

"Tsk..."

No replies to give, pressing his teeth went out of the bus away.

"¡Hey, Jean!", cried Connie through one of the windows, "¡Answer!"

Seeing that was ignored, returned to his seat, took his forehead and turned to his companion: "¿What about you, Sasha?"

She still remained aloof and did not respond.

"...¿Will you stay with me? "

"No... I want to go back"

"But ¿¡are you deaf!?", he jumped unexpectedly, "¿¡Didn't ya hear!? The war has begun! Will be nothing for me or for you back there!"

"Yes, there will be someone waiting for me"

"Huh!? Your father!? That drunken and useless guy you take care as a kid!? Could it be that you love being abused by that pathetic ol' man, UH!?

"Th-That's not your problem, Connie! Stop using this as an excuse, at least... ¡At least I have someone waiting at home!"

"¿What...?"

They were not pleasant words to hear, especially for the lonely boy, much less was nice to see them out of the mouth of his best friend.

He was perplexed momentarily. Then she repented.

"Connie, I..."

"Gsk..."

However, the young man took his eyes away and quickly withdrew, leaving Sasha completely alone in the vehicle.

Point of view: Eren / Mikasa / Samuel / Millius

11:37 a.m.

The luminescence was reflected over the white robes of the shelters. In its shadow, the wounded were prepared for the trip back to the capital. Raised in a row near the bus.

There was no time to lose. Some of them worse, her moans as evidenced.

Few minutes separated them from the return trip.

Among them, Samuel reviewed Millius wounds. Changed his red bandages on arms carefully.

"¡Ouch!"

"Come on, Mill. Do not move. Soon you'll be in a hospital. They'll numb you if necessary, he he"

"I doubt it, with an analgesic I am satisfied..."

Not far away sitting meditatively, Eren was in a plastic chair in front of Thomas, Nack and his uncle Hannes, seeing Mikasa treating as possible the injured ones.

"Eren ¿do you need me to check you too?", she asked.

"I told you I'm fine... finish faster to take the bus"

"Ok..."

The young of dark hair was treating her last patient. With a dubious face decided to make a proposal to Eren as she was doing.

"We ought to stay with her"

"¿With her? What do you mean? "

"With the girl"

"¿What are you talking about? We have to take them to a hospital"

"We will, but we should not follow them..."

"¿Why?"

Mikasa paused, then continued in her work, replicating in a more subtle tone.

"...I do not trust them, but they seem to know what they do. If they told the truth, it's safer to be on their side"

"¡I will not leave my friends behind, Mikasa!"

"Eren... listen to her..."

The conversation and above all, the boy' scream, awakened the man of short mustache. Exhausted, he reached out as a called and said: 'It is... the best. Going to a busy place... is really bad idea..."

With one arm around his shoulders, Samuel helped Millius to walk slowly toward them; they approached when seeing that their tutor awakened.

"You don't necessarily have to come with us", said Samuel, "The bus doesn't have enough space for everyone, it's better to give priority to the wounded returning first"

"It will be... the best...", Hannes muttered.

"¡But...!"

"Don't worry, though I'm not hurt they let me to accompany them"

"So... we'll check if all that is happening actually...", added Milius looking down.

"¿Your cellphone works, right? When you follow us and recover the signal, we will contact you with Mill's one"

It seemed a good plan when no one else was against it.

The four foreigners were fixed on the young of emerald eyes waiting for his reply. He looked at each one concluding with Thomas who was still asleep. The pressure finally convinced him.

"Hm... well. I will", Eren agreed with difficulties in his tone.

"Good said, kid. Mikasa, take good care of him...", Hannes said with a huge smile, trying to get up, "Now... cough... help me go to that bus... Jeez, my legs are killing me, he he..."

Viewpoint: Annie / Armin / Berthold / Reiner

11:38 a.m.

Inside the small cabin, Armin rearranged the previously displaced rustic furniture, moved to accommodate sleeping bags before. Was left the sweeping and cleaning of the place, Annie's task, however, she let it pass.

In return, she took her time sitting in a chair with legs intertwined near the only table present, resting an elbow on it and a fist against her cheek.

Silently thoughtfully, contemplating the natural landscape of poultry and livestock through the window covered in fine gray dust in the corners.

"Well, we ended up with the packaging of both buses", said Reiner entering through the door. He raised his right arm and took his thick biceps: "Heh, hasn't been a problem for two Football players"

Berthold followed him closely.

"...I did not know we had another bus"

"It's a minibus, less spacious but will work", answered Reiner, "¿You thought that we all fit in just one? It was behind us all the way, Berth, you sure fell asleep"

"Eh he he ..."

"Thank you, Reiner, Berthold," Armin said, "Soon I'll finish with this also."

"¿What about Annie? ¿Evading their responsibilities again?", asked the stout boy.

"Um... Annie ¿is there something wrong?", Berthold questioned walking towards her.

She turned to him and gave a soft yawn back to appreciate the scenery: "... It's nothing, Berthold."

"Hum... right ¿what shall we do from now on, Annie?" said Reiner, "Of course, counting we aren't wrong"

"Sorry, guys... I will accept all responsibility if happen something to any of us ...", murmured the little blond student.

"Don't worry about it, Armin. If this turns out to be a lie, they will branded us as insane only, he he"

"I just hope I'm wrong..."

"And if you're not, so we'll take advantage," said Annie.

"¿Advantage?"

"Annie ¿are you really planning to do it...?", Berthold asked nervously.

"Yes"

The three subjects trembled with cold drops of sweat sliding down their foreheads.

"I cannot believe we're going to do this...", Reiner muttered.

Berthold looked at him, then changed the view to the girl: "Things are very bad now b-but ... is a step too big for us ¿do-don't you think, Annie?"

Without changing expression, the blonde girl went to watch the silent Armin.

"¿Do you think so, Armin?"

He turned his gaze to the floor, thinking.

"T-This ... has never been done before, at least not in the same way we plan to do it... Also, w-we have very few chances of success and there are too many factors to take into account, both now and in the future... it's very complex... "

"¿So...?", reiterated Annie.

The blue-eyed boy swallowed some saliva, raised his trembling view and focused on her.

"Y-yet unlikely, if these are not 0%, it is possible, although it will be a difficult path in which anything could happen ..."

"Listening to that is enough. It has been determined...", exclaimed Annie standing up and shaking her uniform. She then stared directly at the young frightened guys, "We shall take control of the government."

* * *

><p><em>Do not let emotions choice for you… <em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	6. Chapter 6 Providence of Calamity

**Chapter 6 Providence of Calamity**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>_

_The distinction of ideas finally divides the group of residents and foreigners. Each person has their own problems and objectives to contend with. Meanwhile, Annie takes a dangerous and impossible decision, take control of the country._

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Acracia Highlands / February 1st, 11:45 a.m.

The moment had finally come. The moment their paths would dissipate.

The wounded were inside the bus, the luggage in place, only remained the sad farewell.

"¿Can we go now?", Hugo complained repeatedly stepping on the floor near the door.

In the end, could be highlighted Sasha, Jean, Marlo, Hugo, Samuel and Millius who decided to go to the capital, along with several other students. They waited beside the car in front of their classmates.

"Guys...", Berthold muttered, "You still have time to change your mind, you know..."

"At this point, it is unthinkable," answered Marlo craning his neck to the sides, "When you recover from that delirium, do not hesitate to come back too."

"Heh, we'll take note of that", Reiner added.

Eren stepped to approach his comrades, accompanied by Mikasa behind.

The young of emerald eyes extended his opened hand and raised his lips softly: "This is not a goodbye. We'll see you soon, guys."

Samuel approached him in the same way and shook hands loudly: "Do not push yourself too and both, take care. After all, this is unknown land for us."

Millius beside nodded.

Moreover, coming from the wooden cabin, the little blonde approached the place with her hands in the pockets of her skirt. Jean was waiting with arms behind his neck and a smirk.

"Annie, don't make that face", he said, "¿Do you mean to call it "_smile_"? At least put a little effort, he he"

"I do never had that intention.", sighted the young girl of blue eyes and ignoring the mockery raised her head: "We have spoken, Jean. You do know in advance our real goal"

"Yes... and I still not surpassed laughter"

"... In any case, if the situation turns complicated, please contact us. Armin has managed to repair the Mina's cellphone. The signal should be back by then."

"Tsk, as I needed your help with something…", said the boy of fine eyes turning his back, about to board the bus with the other, "¡Don't overestimate yourself, Annie! ¡You're just one of us! "

"It can't be helped... (I guess you will have to learn the hard way...), she mused closing her eyes as the doors before her.

The engine fired and destiny was decided; the capital city, Matria.

A grueling two hours by road between green mountains. With an ever-present danger of landslides, or so stood out the warning signs along the way.

Sometimes the landscape was cleared to show the beautiful valleys; extensive, reflecting lakes crossed by native animals and dusty white clouds of mist that embraced the wide slopes.

A young woman sitting at the window witnessed such immaculate scene with a thoughtful and distant face.

One hour passed in that only the groans of the wounded could be heard, however, now resting comfortably, they lay silent.

Marlo Sand driving without detaching the look of the cracked road and Hugo snoring naturally, slept in a nearby seat.

Walking almost on tiptoe, Jean approached the young pensive and took the empty seat beside her.

Unable to sleep, he decided to seek a conversation to pass the time but that was not his forte.

"..."

"..."

"Hm ... is the end of the trip, returning home after two weeks of this punishment ¿Aren't you glad about that?"

"Yes... I think, Jean"

"Luckily one of us could drive, besides the old Shadis"

"The teacher... it's true, ¿what happened to him? ¿Where is he? "

"Who knows... and actually, I don't care"

"He returned to school," chimed Marlo, still focused on the road, "He warned Hugo and I that he must return for a personal emergency and without detailing, disappeared from the place... I did not even hear the engine on any of the transport means at our disposal"

"Tsu... That ol'man was sick in the head from the start. It was reflected all across his face. Wouldn't surprise me that he's come back walking to "_admire the view_" or some other stupid excuse like that."

"Leaving a group of students in the outdoor... It was an irresponsible act, no doubt. I hoped he would be back soon, for that reason not replied about it... -¿Well?", The boy of semi-shaved hair changed the subject with speed. He shifted his gaze to the rearview mirror above, watching the reflection of the two students, "¿What will be the plan when we get there?"

"¡¿Huh?!"

"Do not be ignorant, Jean. You must have some countermeasure in case there is chaos in the city."

Sasha took his arm: "¡Yes, Jean! ¡He is right!", said. She had changed her mood suddenly.

"Damn, shut up or you gonna wake up these guys"

"Leave evasives for another day. Not that I have faith in what our colleagues said, but I like to have plans B ¿you understand?", reaffirmed Marlo.

"¡It's true, it's true everything he says!"

"Stop pulling my shirt, Sasha! (¿And you were not depressed just a second ago?), Jean thought for a brief moment before answering, "There's no such thing like a plan B. We'll let outsiders in the first hospital we find in our way to school and will return to our poor lives, that's all", Jean announced as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He rose it into the air, "(Shit, still no signal)".

Frustrated, the intense light eyes' boy raised both hands behind his neck and completely collapsed in the seat.

Closed his eyelids and thought.

His friends saw him and decided to return to what they were and not replicate any more, but when the gaze returned to the road, it was impossible for Marlo to remain silent.

"J-Jean ...", he muttered.

"¡Agh! I already answered what you wanted, ¿right? Now stop botheri..."

"¡Jean, look out!", Sasha said sticking her cheek and her palms against the window. Curious, opened it to try to peek.

"Hey, wait, ¿¡what are you doing!?", he stopped the young girl pulling her uniform, "¿You want to lose you face on a lamppost?"

"Um... sorry", she returned to her seat.

Holding onto the bars of the bus, the boy stood up and walked up to the side of their driver.

After crossing between several high trees, the road showed better maintained. It was possible to visualize some businesses and middle-class households around the path. Although something was amiss.

"...¿So what's the fucking problem? I see absolutely nothing."

"Exactly that's the problem, Jean," Marlo resumed his calm, "These suburbs are frequented all the time, I used to haunt around here too, but now there is... nothing"

"Or it's celebrated something and you're being just dramatic"

"There are no upcoming holidays so I do not think so..."

"If you don't believe me then look over there," Jean pointed.

A noise began to be heard on the surroundings.

In the distance they could envision a huge of people in the middle of the streets. The more advanced the city, the stronger the scandal was made and easier to realize they were not ordered in rows or organized in groups, as would be expected of a usual parade or celebration. They were, in fact, scattered, running from side to side, going from one building to a settlement, from a commercial establishment to an institution, interspersed amid uneasy screams and despair.

"¿Wh-What...? ¿¡WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?..."

* * *

><p><em>Even avoiding problems, these will come to you in some way.<em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	7. Chapter 7 Perilous detour

**Chapter 7 Perilous detour**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>_

_The group of survivors led by Jean finally reaches the capital of Darseny, Matria. But what they found discarded any possibility of returning to an everyday life._

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Matria / February 1st, 2:46 pm

The dark and relentless flames smoke rose over the settlements of the capital.

The frenzy of the crowd on the road proved impossible to understand between each ambulance sirens, police units and fire trucks uncontrolled dodging pedestrians in the congested area.

The yellow school bus of black lines led to a calmer street and suddenly found parked, while the three students still lay impacted by the chaotic scene.

"¡I was right!", said Marlo hitting the handle of the damaged vehicle, "¡I was absolutely right that something was not right!"

The brown-haired boy returned with trembling legs to give up on a seat. His pale face flooded with cold sweaty drops. The heart beat unregulated.

Trying to compose himself, took his already aching head with both hands as he stared at the floor.

Sasha, who browsed through the window, noticed the state of the boy in the reflection and approached him quickly.

"¡Jean! Jean! ¡Come on, calm down!", cried the desperate girl, shaking him from the shoulders.

"¡Dammit, this is the worst time for that, Jean Kirschtein!", said Marlo, "¡¿What should we do now!?"

The scandal had awakened the injured foreigners in the back place, they confused themselves and those around them with panic and exaggerated claims in different languages, some more than others: "¡We're doomed! ¡We should not go along these guys...! ¡Momma!".

Jean placed his palms on the shoulders of Sasha and changing positions, held her against the seat itself violently.

"You don't understand...", the boy whispered.

"¡¿E-E-Eh?!"

Sasha just failed to look scared.

"¿Don't you know what this means!?"

Hearing this, all present inside the bus silenced. Jean continued.

"Everything they said... T-This is real!... ¿¡You don't notice it!? ¡It's fucking r-real! ... Ha ha...", he muttered with a cynical smile that only scarier the young girl.

"Je-Jean..."

He released her slowly and stood in front of everyone. With a forced change of sudden and serious look he recited: "¡¿You heard it!? This is war! ¡The 3rd War! We didn't even know if we will survive through this, even less if you'll return to your countries in one piece", he said, "Anything for you from now on, no longer concerns us."

"...Then we are on our own"

A voice was heard in the audience and the origin, the German boy with black hair sideways erected: "It's not as if something had changed from the beginning, we always were", articulated Samuel, "In fact, if that blonde girl would not convince you, surely you would not have taken us with you."

"¿And what are you gonna do about it, _outsiders_?, asked Jean reluctantly, waving his hand.

A little nervous, Samuel turned to look at his friend Millius holding the wounded Nack Teaz between whimpers. He resumed his eyes to Jean.

"...Our goal has not changed. Take us to the nearest hospital as soon as possible"

"Ahem... Jean ...", Marlo whispered behind him.

The boy approached. Sasha closely with interest.

"Look, Jean... it's a bad idea to approach the hospital, any of them"

"...¿¡What are ya saying, Marlo!? ¿¡Wanna leave them all as they are?!

"Sasha, silent!... What I mean is that medical centers must be really saturated because of this predicament. It would be inconvenient for them and for us to arrive them at this moment."

Both young students waited a solution from the brown-haired one.

"...As I said, we will stick to the plan"

Sasha looked at him closely and exhibited a mischievous smile.

"So… after all you got a plan "D", ¿huh?"

"...You mean plan B", Marlo corrected her, "And more than a plan B, this is what you planned from the start, ¿or am I wrong?", He looked at Jean, who only paused and addressed to the rest of the group, in front of Samuel.

"...This is what we are going to do. We will go to an Institute. It has a decent nursing. Anyhow, most of you suffer from cracks, cuts and minor burns ¿right? Our nurse can handle that.

His companions nodded.

Samuel exchanged glances with all the foreigners around first.

"...If you are still not convinced, may seek a hospital from there", added Jean, "And pray to God for a miracle because I doubt that they will treat you (if you can arrive safely first).

"Hm… That's a good point", murmured Millius close to his partner.

Samuel heard him and decided by all the former airline passengers present.

"...Very well"

"You've heard him, Marlo, heading the Institute, nonstop"

"Heh, finally we agree on something", slightly relieved to have his beloved countermeasure, the semi shaved boy stepped on the accelerated, "I know a road less traveled. More distant but better late than never. Hold on well, guys"

Avoiding the city itself, the decision was skirt it through the narrow and cracked streets of the suburbs. Although not a bad option at all, they offered a hostile, disturbing and deserted environment, both before and during the current disaster.

Strange as it seemed, unfortunate households who were passing by were desolate, empty, no trace of signs of life. Even aggressive dogs that usually threatened the visitors were not barking somewhere.

Impossible to deduce what happened or what could happen, so they thought.

The world was becoming surreal.

Following such uncertainty, they took a detour on the road of stones and glimpsed the Institute beside the road.

The much longed Educative Institute. Had two halls separated by a green field covered with mud, used for sports. The low-rise buildings lacked second floor. Due to limited space, the street outside the exit was used as parking. With a combination of blue and gray colors, was at first a very humble school.

The entries were closed. Among the bars blocking the output was displayed to an extensive body of people in the middle of the open field; what looked like a board, because of older gentlemen and ladies throwing indications in front of their audience.

The bus had not been detected by them, everything the passengers saw and heard was through the windows.

Marlo parked it unnoticed. Under his consideration, gave a sign with his index finger over his mouth to give understanding to all to leave the bus quietly, in order to try to hear what really happens out there. He pulled a lever to open the doors and everyone began to disembark off the yellow cruise.

"Um... and... ¿What about Hugo?", asked Sasha, the penultimate one to go out.

The big man was still asleep in his seat with no idea of all that had happened so far.

"Do not bother to wake him", said Marlo turning off the engine of the bus, "He pleases me more when sleeping, heh"

Among the foreigners, students and wounded, Samuel secretly approached Millius.

"...We have reached it. ¿Do you feel better, Mil?"

"Yes, better than before"

"It's good to hear that", he leaned closer and said quietly and seriously, "Look, to be honest I do not trust these guys and how things look, anything can happen."

"Yeah..."

"The faster we can contact Eren and Mikasa, faster we'll find a way out of this country together and return to our home- ¿What about the signal?"

Millius pulled the phone from his pocket and revised. It had a single line of battery, however, due to concern about contact his own family, thought it was a signal line. Then he put away the phone quickly.

"¿Well?", asked Samuel.

"N-No signal, sorry. Surely it is because... all the people around us are using it due to this dis-saster..."

"Incredible our bad luck... Even the distance can be a problem... These guys probably want to be contacted again with their classmates, then it is better if one of us go with them"

"I-I think I'd better keep it, ¿right? It will be more useful if someone completely unharmed as you help the wounded. When I find Eren and Mikasa, we'll return to this place for you, ¿okay?"

"Hm... okay. But I want you to have something in mind, I really do not trust this guy _Jean_. Be careful when we part."

"Of co-course, he he he..."

"Good", Samuel smiled nicely in front of his friend, "Now, help me to get 'em out of the bus. Hurry up"

"Yeah..."

* * *

><p><em>It's useless to sit and complain, find solutions.<em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	8. Chapter 8 Crucial Advent

**Chapter 8 Crucial advent**

* * *

><p><strong><em>The story so far:<em>  
><strong>

_The revolutionaries state their determination to their comrades. With strong determination not to return to the miserable previous life, they are willing to bet everything against the absolute power of government._

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Los Canes / February 1st, 2:40 pm

They pulled the slide gate. The first ones folded down their seats to make way for the latter.

Around the small silver minibus, they stretched the body yawning, yawns that soon were replaced by vast breaths of air as cool as the weather.

The clear blue sky contained the white moon and some clouds hanging, but if it would rain or not followed resulting in uncertain.

Viewing a quiet time like that would make anyone forget that a war in the world is taking place.

After the long journey from the mountains, this group of young students had finally reached the village of Los Canes, a set of humble suburban lower-middle class, hardly middle class.

Visited several homes since their arrival, where they managed to shed their uniforms in exchange for more casual attire.

Beyond that, the conclusion was indifferent to each of the sites visited, and in the last one, the small home of Armin Arlelt, this fact appeared to persist; It was not any resident around.

"... Hey, Armin, should ensure the entry", said the tall Berthold being the last of the group to enter, "Someone dangerous could come in and take all your stuff, or w-worse..."

"Sorry about that", said the blond boy with blue eyes, closing the rusty metal grid, "...My grandfather often forget such measures, despite the country's situation ... but neither we have much to be worth something in the market"

The others waited upon arrival to enter right after him.

The house behind them was simple. Consists of few sections: a room of rest, quarter sink next to the kitchen, and a living room where they entered first. None of these sections was over 15 square meters, not to mention the bathtub.

"I feel like mole entering his burrow ..."

"Connie!", Mina slammed her elbow into the stomach of the joker.

"Ugh! ... Just ... it was ... cuff cuff ..."

"Reduced but cozy", said Annie sitting in one of the cushions around the table in the middle of the room, "Do not worry, ours are not very different."

"He he he ...", Armin dropped a modest laugh, "Well ... I better go see how my grandfather is"

"Wait, Armin", stopped the robust Reiner in front of the table with folded arms, "Don't you go expecting to leave us hungry, ¿right?"

"Ah, sorry. I think there is still food in the fridge, not much but..."

"I got it, heh!", chimed Connie, "Go check the old Arlelt"

"Um... ok…"

The young shaved' smile was gradually reduced while thinking: "(Sasha would have loved being here, loved my kitchen...)

Everyone sat and some approached the missing pillows while the short space between were made.

"¿And… since when you practice cooking, Connie?", Berthold said, "I didn't know that you handled those cooking skills"

"Em... When ya live all alone, ya become good at what ya least expect, he he he ¿isn' it, Kyklo?"

"Undoubtedly. _The human being is capable of being a loner_, contradicting this fact is based on just a moral whim. "

"¿Ya see? ¡He understands me!"

"It must be hard...", added the tall guy with long face in a low tone of voice.

"Mmm maybe at first, then somehow ya get used to it. _Life is a fight until death_, that's what my last foster parents said. "

"(Quite fearful thinking...)"

"(Foster parents ...) I've always wondered, Connie", said the student Annie leaning on her cheek with one elbow on the table, "No parents or other caregivers, ¿what do you do to survive?"

"I've wondered the same", Berthold joined, "¿Do you receive any financial compensation?"

Connie was silent a few seconds and then could not bear the bizarre laughter that came over him.

"Pff hah ha ha ha, n-nice one Berth, ha ha...! - ¿Compensation? ¿Help? That's just a bad joke here. It seems that you live in another reality - Not at all, guys."

"Well ¿then ...?"

"I have the only job you can get these days, like Robin Hood, only instead of taking from the rich, I take from those I can, and what I get I give to the poor, so myself , he he…"

"Hm... I guess it was not appropriate to ask", Annie said calmly.

"Nah, has been for a couple of years. At this point I don' mind talking about it", the little boy put both hands on the counter and stood up, heading to the wooden door that separated the kitchen", Now I go to prepare something. Ma stomach begins to growl."

"...Try foods that are quick expiration. The rest will be loaded on the bus"

"~Yup, no hassle~"

Following his retirement, Annie stood, shaking her clothing: "... I will go to help Armin with the collection of goods"

"Hey, you cannot leave the boy alone for a minute, ¿uh?", said Reiner arching lips into a smirk.

The little blonde with characteristic seriousness, turned her back and walked into the room.

"...I do not know what you mean"

Therefore, only detracted Berthold, Reiner, Mina, Kyklo and the two strangers, Mikasa and Eren sitting around the furniture.

Before initiating an awkward silence, Mina Carolina opposed to it with a hurry in her tone.

"¿A-And what about you guys? Would be nice if we know better", directed the question to the young germans.

They clearly felt out of place, not moving nor speaking. Quiescent as statues.

The dark-haired girl tried to answer, but the guy of emerald eyes beside was faster.

Slightly embarrassed, said: "Where to start...", massaged his neck as he ran his gaze between all and stopped to answer confidently, "My name Eren Jäeger and... my dream is to become a pilot"

"A pilot...", whispered Reiner smiling pleasantly, "Not bad, ¿and the lady who accompanies you?"

"... Mikasa Ackerman", she answered without delay, running a finger over the dusty on the furniture.

"¿Ackerman? ¿Didn't you say before that you were siblings?"

"It's partly true", she sighed. Eren was displeased on the issue, "He... Eren's father joined the Militia years ago. With no sign of his soon return, my father, who was his best friend, took his place. He and Mrs. Carla Jäeger became engaged shortly after... it was then that we met...", she said holding the scarlet scarf on her neck, with a voice so soft as her gaze directed at her brother.

"Besides, look at us... ¿Isn't it obvious? At first glance you notice we aren't blood relatives", added Eren with indifferent tone. Avoiding interrupt, Mikasa continued.

"I owe them a lot ... It is for that reason I train"

"¿Is that true?", questioned Kyklo, leaning slightly forward, "¿Could I know what you're doing?"

"I practice Street fighting"

"¿A ... martial art?"

"Not really", added Eren, "It´s rather self-defense"

"I understand ... (It seems that Annie has competence...), said the one-eyed boy, securing it to the stranger" ...¿Do you also devotes efforts to such practice, Eren?"

"I guess it's a complete waste of time", he stammered.

"Oh, then others will take care of you like a helpless child for the rest of life, hah ha", Reiner said using clear sarcasm.

"Tsk, mind your own business..."

"It is not good depending on others, you know. Better do like Berthold and I; look for a sport that makes you a real man, like football", the burly young man crossed his arms again in confident, "I'll put you in shape, after all, we'll need helpful people and no sacks of potatoes to reach our goal."

"... I told you I'm not interested", replied annoying the stranger, "(¿Your goal...?) By the way, you look too carefree considering what happens out there.

A slight pause before the answer from Reiner, who spread his arms and leaned both elbows on both knees.

"-We aren't, but panic arises when you have no idea what to do. That's not our case."

"¿You know what to do in the middle of a world war like this?... Heh, ¡I'd like to hear it!"

A juicy flavor began to prevail inside the rooms, combined with assertiveness the delicious smells of soft meats, deftly mixed vegetables and seasoning from hot oil. Enough so to bring out saliva in the mouth of the more satisfied individuals.

"Mmm smells good ... that Connie boasted his skill with every right", told Reiner, raising his nose to appreciate the fragrance of the environment, "He seem a knucklehead, but has talent for some things. One day he showed us his hobby of throwing kniv... "

"Hey, ¿¡are you listening!?"

"Sure, sure ... sigh ..."

"Reiner..." Berthold whispered near his ear, "¿Is it okay to talk about it with them?"

"Of course. They'll accompany us on this; better if they don't do it blindly."

Switching to a serious face, the tall blond boy focused his fine eyes straight to the outsider's green ones.

"...But first, if you understand our story, will understand the whole picture"

"¿Your... story?", Mikasa replied.

"Yes -I'm sure you had no idea that this country existed before your arrival"

"Something like that..."

"It makes sense. The media were subjected under the absolute authority of the government. It showed the world what they suit them to recognize and what's left is... well... _silent_".

"I did not think that was possible in these times ..."

"¿Limiting the disclosure of information? It's technically impossible. There are always leaks, but they don't last open for so long- With controlled media, I think you know the rest"

"Not really," Eren said, leaning on the table.

"The result is the despicable corruption", Kyklo interposed, "The start proved to be acceptable to most, however, coming to power was the trigger for a series of injustices to us. They revoked the carrying of weapons, military corps, immigration, our dignity... "

"Still", Reiner continued, "Don't think that is a powerful government. It's weak, unstable and dependent. We used to discuss this in our spare time, if it was possible to fix it. Heh, even joked about who and how we would take possession of the country- For us they were just absurd and impossible ideas... until now"

"¿¡You mean take over the whole country!? ... It's crazy, ¿did you know that?"

"Ha ha ha it is, it certainly is, but it's a workable madness, Eren. The ideal time is now, when it is most vulnerable - yourselves saw it, ¿didn't you? "

"They're right...", Mikasa lowered her head, still playing with the dust of the table between her fingers, "...I heard they demanded to cancel our flight, even without a real reason. Both, the route and destination were safe, or so everyone thought. ...It may have been the last flight from the airport until the situation appeases...", the girl changed into a crestfallen and brooding side, hidden between her smooth dark hair", ...Nobody expected the nations of the world would came this far (even major oil companies have closed...) yet", she visualized the darsens' guys calmly, "¿Do you believe in accomplishing something more than surviving? In a war on a global scale, it's meaningless"

"¡W-We will!", Mina startled pounding the table with her palms.

She soon returned to her place, grieving.

"Uh-hm sorry ... what I mean is ... if we do not reform the condition of all, everything will just get worse! We can't live like this anymore! P-People will... continue to commit terrible acts... People...!

At the same time, Kyklo extended a hand on her restless shoulder, arching lips gentle way to comfort her.

"That did not clarify my question", reiterated Mikasa in front of them, calmly on her face.

"_Hope_...", provided a direct response the boy of a single eye, setting it on her.

"¿...?"

"We hope that there is a future to come back to! We have faith that this war won't be the last memory of mankind! - Under such conviction, we shall persist", manifested Kyklo vigorously, "And when conflict comes to an end... freedom and equality shall await us"

The somber mood light and became more optimistic. Those who were present around the tiny table in the middle of the humble room smiled upon hearing the inspiring words.

The two young foreigners were surprised due to their confidence. Really meant business.

Pushing the door with his foot, the little chef returned to the living room. In his hands covered, was carrying a large steaming pot.

"¡Alright! ¡Dinner is served!- Uh... (¿I missed something?...)

Inside the next room the two blond teenagers separated from the rest of the group were.

A small room full of texts, books, and notes written by various authors on various topics. A bed on the floor, surrounded by a pair of off candles between curious trifles.

With backpacks and bags in hand, both students on their knees peered through the literary mountains and other quirky trinkets, keeping with them anything that might be of some use for the travel.

"_Reaching the police headquarters_...", Annie muttered as she continued the task as the boy, "That clearly shall be insufficient"

Armin stopped for a second to see her, then continued concerned: "Yes ... most of us decided to desert along the way... I wonder if they are ok..."

"It does not matter. In any case, it would be fruitless to count only with a handful of students- No point getting support from the police without the support of the people. If we make a mistake like that, peace and order won't stand"

"It will be difficult to convince an entire nation...", the blond boy sighed deeply.

"It is easy to understand. Notable achievements are not reached by mediocre efforts", commented Annie, making room inside her bag, "Especially if we run into _him_ on the way..."

"¿Him? ¿Do you mean...? "

The girl got up to continue with drawers from a nearby shelf.

About to open it, heard the desperate voice of Armin.

"¡W-Wait, Annie!" ¡Don't check it out! "

"Oh..."

The newly enhanced curiosity encouraged the girl to not stop.

"¡A-Annie!"

She pulled the handle.

Happened to be the drawer of colorful boy's underwear.

"...¿Why hide it?", she took one piece of clothing passively, lifting it front of her and feeling the softness of the fabric, "The dress will be loaded along with the rest. It is indispensable"

"¡B-But don't touch it!", in a hurry, he snatched it from her hands.

Under the others, a small manila envelope could be interviewed by the young. It was occupied by a square and sturdy object.

She pulled it out but did not take long in her possession.

"T-That's private ..."

The second outburst unexpectedly dropped a book from Armin's pockets.

"P-Please ... I'll take care of the rest", the boy tried to hide the shame of his flushed face.

Annie just simply bend squat to pick up the book.

"_For you, in 2000 years... by Alrik Dalmar _", read and then opened it, "... You always carry this with you, Armin"

"About that book ..."

Ancient, worn and yellowed book because of the time. Delicate and blurred pages content.

"Please be careful. It is very valuable to me"

"Mm... There seems not to be Latin...", said Annie trying to decipher the writing.

"It's older; Proto-Indo-European"

"...¿Does it exist?"

"The concept is rather ambiguous but... many believed it was one of the first languages formed in history.

"Oh... ¿Do you say you can read this?"

Seeing the interest showed by Annie, sat the bag on his back and walked near her. Shoulder to shoulder, move a few pages of text she held.

"I'm learning but still cannot. An English translation is performed largely by my grandfather. He has dedicated to historical linguistics for many years, but even with that said he can not fully translate it. Therefore, this is just a draft"

She grabbed the hand of Armin and stopping the flow of pages in a particular one.

On this appeared strange drawings of naked and giant people surrounding what looked like an old citadel.

"... ¿What is this book about?"

"Well... when I started reading the first thing I thought was that I was reading someone's diary," the boy smiled slightly, "It seems that it was wrote thinking that would be found at any time; the story of his life in the past of a civilization protected by high walls ... humanity to the brink of extinction to face off against giant creatures called Titans, although he called them... _Dreamers_.

"Dreamers..."

"According to the author, at the beginning it was difficult, but people finally chose to put aside their differences to unite and survive against the unstoppable threat in common (That was what caught my attention...)"

"¿Is this ... really happened?, Annie asked, turning toward him closely.

"N-Not sure", he stepped back a little, then returned his gaze to the book, "...I think so even though no other proof than what is written here exist... It helps me to believe that there is still the possibility for the human to coexist as one..."

Annie gave a soft sigh. She closed the book and put it in the boy's backpack.

"... You really like reading ¿Do you want to dedicate your life to it?"

"He he… well... I admire the work of my grandfather but I would become a criminal investigator... This was something I decided not long ago..."

"¿Criminal Investigator? ¿Why...?

"That's right! I'll go check on my grandfather", Armin interjected fastly," I didn't want to bother him because we was probably sleeping... may already be awakened"

Annie looked past the rest of the room without revisiting the issue.

"I'll go check him... and forgive the mess", she went to the door of the other room.

"¿Hm? Ah, don't worry..."

Almost immediately, they could hear the vibration of a cellphone followed by a loud ringtone from the boy's pocket. He hurried to get it out and answer.

"(¿Guys?) ¡¿Hello?! ¿¡Jean!? ¡¿Sasha?!"

It was impossible to hear clearly.

"[ARMIN! ... ... ... WE ARE... ... ... CHASED ... THEY… ARE NOT… HUMA...!]

The call was cut and the temporal signal line disappeared again.

"¿Guys ...? ¿W-What is...? "

Annie returned just after, unusually hasty.

"¡Armin, your grandfather...!"

* * *

><p><em>Life is war. We are partakers of it since birth.<em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	9. Chapter 9 Humble Bonanza

**Chapter 9 Humble bonanza**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>_

Jean, Sasha and Marlo confirm the worst, a world war in progress. Viewing disaster and chaos found in the Latin capital, they drove cautiously up to the Institute. This seems to happen something amiss.

With a bus full of wounded and a city on the verge of disappearing, ¿what decision shall take Jean?

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Matria / February 1st, 3:10 pm

The Preparatory Institute San Ramael.

Despite the lack of support from the government and without a large number of teachers and active students, everyone there knew each other well and lived in an atmosphere of calm, putting aside quarrels and lawsuits to really isolated cases.

For such a cozy place, there were a couple of scandals that occupied the front pages of the newspapers years ago, but these were forgotten with the passage of time.

Perhaps forcefully.

The current scandal was not due to one of those special cases, but by an unprecedented event on an unprecedented situation at all.

The intrigue of Jean, Sasha, Marlo and the foreigners incited them to approach the gates of the Institute and try to figure out what the crowd argued fervently.

"Jean, Jean ¿You hear what they say? I cannot reach to understand...", Sasha asked quietly, secretly extracted a piece of bread from her skirt's pocket.

"Shut up a minute... and all you as well. Maybe then I could... ¿and where did you get that?"

"Lack of importance to be standing here. Just let's go in and find out what happens", said Marlo, releasing the metal bars.

He walked to the entry lock and immediately noticed that both gates were blocked in the middle with a chain, linked by a large lock from the inside.

"(¿Is it blocked? ¿Why...?) Listen, bars are..."

"¡Guys, look! ¡Someone's coming!", Sasha pointed through the bars and squinted, "It's... yes, is she!"

Short, slightly short dark hair with bangs on the forehead and large clear eyes; these were the characteristics of the young woman approaching the entry into a white nursing uniform.

Even with her hands jammed with medicines, bottled water and other supplies, she managed to give them a sign of silence the group.

"¡Midfs... Nifa!", expressed Sasha looking with her head between the metal rods with a mouthful of food.

The woman pat her hair affectionately followed by a faint smile. A smile that could not hide the uncertainty behind it.

"... Sasha, try swallowing before speaking, it's bad for your digestion otherwise"

"*Gulp* ¡Yes!"

"It's good to see that you are safe... Um... ¿Who are all these people that accompany you?", she questioned quietly.

"Hey, Nifa. First ¿could you explain what the hell is going on here?", claimed Jean.

"They need to be treated", the young woman turned her vision toward the wounded outsiders, "That's the bottom line now. Let me open up..."

With some difficulty, she pulled a key from her pocket and opened the lock on the gate silently.

One by one, the group entered the Institute.

"Please avoid calling attention or things could get complicated..."

"¿What do you mean, Miss Nifa?", Marlo muttered. Being the last one to go, he offered to reseal the entrance.

"Not now. I'll explain everything later, I promise. "

"Hm... then, ¿Do you want me to help you with that?", came closer and took some of the many items that she carried with her.

"... I appreciate it."

It was then the group was determined to follow the nurse, who was gave a signal to ignore the near commotion.

Even with that in mind, none could contain the curiosity.

They watched the discussion that men and women exchanged uneasily in the distance.

_¿¡What happens to our children!?_  
><em>¡This is an abuse of authority!<em>  
><em>¡Damn bastards!<em>  
><em>¡¿Who do they think they are?!<em>  
><em>¡¿Why we can not see them now?!<em>  
><em>¡Explain yourselves!<em>

On a makeshift stage, one old man stood in front of the tense crowd; trying to do everything possible to calm the confusion.

And diagonal to him, a girl of medium height and short curls, brown as her little eyes, waiting still and silent.

Her expression changed to be the only until now that was aware of the presence of recent visitors, as she watched them walking behind the crowd.

At that very moment, she crossed glances with Marlo Sand.

The semi shaved hair boy noticed it and, pausing for a second, expressed an idea through a focused hint: _Pretend you had not seen us_, it said.

She understood at once responding with a grin.

After seeing them disappear from sight, she came to mutter a few words in the ear of the overwhelmed man in front of her and stepped down following their tracks.

Minutes later, it found that guests had settled satisfactorily.

After the two main blocks that made up the whole Institute, they entered a small green area with few classrooms randomly distributed.

Intermittent singing of goldfinch between high wild trees and low flowering shrubs, could be glimpsed on both sides of a bridge that divided the sections in the middle, over a tiny river flow.

Having taken this route they stopped at a construction site seemingly newly built.

Unlike the other buildings, it looked like new and had twice the size of them.

The nurse opened the white door and all went in.

It was composed of two relatively obscure and connecting rooms but shared a single exit.

The group entered was blocked by the bewilderment of what their eyes distinguished.

The large size of the site turned out to be negligible because of the huge number of motionless corpses covered by light sheets lying on the ground.

Stupefied, several of the guests retreated few steps immediately.

"¡¿A-Are... are they... d-dead!? ¡Guh…! ¡They are…!"

The nurse did not answer the question. Only remained silent.

* * *

><p><em>If you only think in abundance, small things shall be forgotten…<em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	10. Chapter 10 Eclipsed Sanity

**Chapter 10 Eclipsed Sanity**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>  
>Despite the chaos in the capital, Jean, Marlo, Sasha and the foreign survivors of the crash have successfully reached the San Ramael Institute, hidden in the suburbs.<br>However, there has appeared a stir among those present. A strange disease has emerged and there is no explanation about it._

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Matria / San Ramael Institute / February 1st, 3:33 pm

"...Please take the wounded to the next room. All of you have special permission this time, but use these masks and avoid approaching them too close. "

"¡N-Nifa!", exclaimed Jean restlessly, "I won't give another damn step until I know exactly what's happening here!"

"¡I said carry the wounded to the room! ¿¡Is it clear!? "

Seeing that reaction coming from the nurse for the first time in their lives, the boy only grind his teeth and did what was ordered, snatching one of the white masks that she offered, reluctantly.

"Tsk ..."

Each person unscathed gave his help without any more claims. They carried on their shoulders the hurt foreigners to the room next door. This one was not as spacious as the previous, but could accommodate the required amount.

Immediately the students left the infirmary, leaving only Millius and Samuel along with the former passengers inside the room.

They sought a seat on a bench outside the door, the nurse leaned against the wall and let out a heavy sigh.

"I must treat those people, so I'll be brief with you", she said, resting from the load of victuals on a wooden shelf attached to the wall.

Jean, Sasha and Marlo removed their masks and settled better to listen carefully.

"... About an hour ago the principal banned visits to patients, and as expected, complaints have arisen about it."

Jean, tired of reiterate it, looked into her eyes and just went to the point.

"... ¿Are they alive?"

"Yes, they are", Nifa clarified, "However, their status was the reason why I recommended to isolate them. They have spent more than five hours in that state..."

"¿W-why they didn't move?", Sasha hesitated.

"It must be because they are weakened, that is what I can say at the moment. None of them has aroused since collapsed- Symptoms of high fever, permanent mydriasis, inflamed capillaries and pulse, along with their breathing, are abnormal. Even if it were a flu, I worry the fact of not having received any reply yet from them, plus some symptoms are unusual under that perception...", she moved her hand near her mouth, in meditation.

"And is unable to confirm at a hospital, ¿isn't it?", Marlo added.

"..."

"Letting that aside,", said Jean, "¿What's happened since two weeks ago?"

"Two weeks ago ... I am not sure, or rather not much to stand out... You were on the school trip in that time, ¿right?"

"Yes... a stupid trip to the mountains of Acracia that has isolated us from reality and now as you see, we pay the consequences."

"Maybe it was the best ..."

"¿¡Huh!? ¿What can be obtained positive of that?"

"If you had completed the journey, probably you would find the city in a more stable state"

"Don't be ridiculous, Nifa. We couldn't have done it even if we wanted"

"¡Watch your mouth, Jean Kirschtein! ...You're still the same spoiled child as always spoiled... and ¿what is the reason behind that answer? "

"There was a plane crash", Marlo responded immediately.

"¿An accident...?"

"That's right, Miss Nifa. Those people who we carried with you are the ones who survived the catastrophe... and about what you said earlier, I'm afraid to contradict it. Nothing claimed that the situation would improve now... in fact, according to our colleagues, this hell is just beginning"

"Miss Nifa...", Sasha muttered, clasping her knees, "¿Is it true that... the world is at war? ¿For real?"

The woman took a moment to collect her thoughts before answering.

"...Sorry. No one could give that kind of information with certainty."

"Hm, in that sense, you are not helping us much, Miss Nifa", Marlo showed a slight and forced smile.

Stressed, Jean ran a hand through his hair and stood up. Threw away the mask and started to leave the site: "You don't give well being helpful for something, ¿right? ... Nice useless source of information has proved to be, _~Miss Nifa_"

"¡Be more respectful! ¡I just tell you the truth!", she exclaimed.

"Do not be startled, please", Marlo intervened, "We only ask that you make an effort to remember. There must be something more you know and can orient us"

Jean stopped his walk.

"...¿Exactly what you want to know? Hurry up.", sighed the woman holding her forehead.

"Everything you could tell us to be aware, or the most relevant of that."

"From what you have seen and what you are seeing now, not much distinction arises. Everything happened sudden... but... maybe there's something..."

"¿What could be that _something_?", asked Jean, seeing the woman over his shoulder.

"The last television broadcast"

"¿Hm?"

"Yes. It took place over a week ago. If you not witnessed it, surely it happened shortly after you left"

"..."

"Hm ... I do not remember the details but clearly hinted that world powers formally declared a state of war; after recent years of unresolved conflicts, it was inevitable..."

"Definitely that's ambiguous, though not enough", said Jean, "But is also the most useful thing you've said so far (in other words, all we can get from her... Tch ...)"

"... It is all I know. So if you excuse me..."

The young nurse took off the wall and picked up the groceries on the shelf: "We still have no signal, so do not leave the Institute, it is dangerous. Wait inside until your parents come for you. Or perhaps they are among those in the open field, but abstain to mention that you were here, please"

"Whatever… As for me, I'll go to the toilet now", said Jean disinterested. He craned her neck and resumed his retreat, "Since the accident, I have resisted the urge for hours"

"¡Oh! ¡I'll go with you!", said Sasha, rising from the bench and following him.

"Don't think I'll let you go in with me, Sasha. They made split bathrooms for something, you know"

"¡Of course not! I also wanted to go", claimed the ponytail-girl, slightly embarrassed.

Seeing them go away, Marlo got up, left the supplies he carried on the same shelf and look to Nifa.

"...¿Is there anything else I can do to help? (I assume that I have some free time...)"

"No, it's enough, but thank you", she smiled kindly to him and took the objects, "This is nursing work, after all."

"Um... well.. so..."

"_~You two... ¿what are you doing?~"_

An evil whisper stepped behind the boy, who immediately startled.

"¡Eek!"

The girl he had seen in the outfield minutes ago was now behind him immensely smiling at his sudden expression.

She was carrying a plastic bag in her hands, swinging it from side to side.

"Uh, Hitch ..."

"I see that you already have with whom occupy the time," Nifa said, returning into the nursing and closing the door in front of him."

Marlo breathed a vast sigh, returning to the bench. Then crossed both arms and legs.

"Woah... Marlo, you're filled to overflowing with joy as ever", the girl said sarcastically, slumping in the same seat.

"(Of all people ... Great day...)"

**Point of view: Sasha / Jean**

3:47 pm

Each departing satisfied, out of the toilets.

"I see you're still stuffed, Sasha. Maybe need to shit a little bit more, haha", commented the boy as settled his white shirt tucked into the pants.

"...You should stop saying things like that. I'm a girl, in case you forgot"

"Oh... ¿really? ¿so what?"

"¡Mmm...!"

The young students walked to the side of the whole place, in the cafeteria of the Institute.

They waved their hands due to the water, drying them on their uniforms and set out to sniff inside the post behind the counter.

At first glance it appeared that was empty, but still proceeded with the search.

"Nothing... nothing... ¡nothing!", repeated the frustrated guy when reviewing every dusty shelf and compartment unsuccessfully.

"Jean! Look! I found something!", said Sasha removing her head of a cabinet, "But... ¿we should take it without paying?"

"I doubt that someone cares now"

She approached him and put on his hands a small box of cheap candies. He let out a short laugh when seeing it being dumped as a sticky ball that did not even covered the whole of a palm.

"Ha ha, ¿is this all there?..."

"Um... it seems so, but I could find more if you want"

"Don't bother. Nothing we can take with us, uh…"

"Jean, ¿Don´t we will wait for our parents? As Nifa said", Sasha asked, taking a piece of the candy ball away from the boy's hand.

Jean leaned his hip against the counter, putting up with retracted elbows, as she went and sat down on the glass without fear that it went break off.

"Use your head for once, Sasha. I don't care what she's said, I'm not crazy to stay caged here for who knows how long..."

The boy took a bite to finish the candy. Then he laid his eyes to the tiny flow of water through the bushes: "-Tch, you're a few weeks out of town and come back to find the world like shit. ¿Seriously? ..."

"Well, it could be worse, I think"

"¿Huh? ¿Are you listening to yourself? This is the worst day ever imagined."

"He he forgive me, I wasn't not paying much attention."

Jean sighed.

"... And I just wanted to get home and turn on the game console... now all I want is to pass out on a bed and forget all this"

"Oh, that sounds good", the girl said with a smile out of place.

He turned to her, disgusted by his relaxed expression.

"You don't look worried at all now. I understand innocence but I guess even it has its own limits- ¿What about your father? "

"Well, we live in a rural area soooo far away, and he taught me how to survive on my own, so... he knows I can take care of myself. I don't think he needs to see me now... ¿you?"

"Heh, I see where you inherited this lack of interest", he replied, "I have to endure the daily chatter of that old-whiny-woman- Always threatening to throw me out of the house as if she only knew those words... Surely must be dancing of happiness right now for my absence"

"Mmm..."

"Anyway", he quickly changed the subject, "I'm curious to know how those idiots are going"

"¡Uh! ¿¡You think Connie and others are ok!?", Sasha manifested energized.

"¿How do I know?... Don't twist my words. I just said I was curious, not worried about them. If something bad happened to them, they have sought it themselves"

"Please, don't say such things... Jean..."

Suddenly he noticed the change of mood in her face.

"(Then she actually have something that matters after all...)", thought before separating himself from the counter, "That candy didn't remove my hunger as people say, better get back to the bus. Of course, I am hoping that you left something to eat"

"If I ate everything, I'd get sick, Jean- ¿huh?"

"¿Hm? ¿What...? "

The girl was moving down the glass when she spotted a tall, dark figure in the distance. She could recognize it almost instantly.

"That person over there...", she pointed her index finger along with a dubious aspect, "¿Isn't the teacher Shadis?"

**Point of View: Samuel / Millius / Nifa**

3:48 pm

The smell of drugs in those bright rooms was unbearable for some reason; in those rooms habited by moribunds more than any other individual.

Samuel lay resting on a seat amid Hannes and Nack' stretchers, while Millius walked forth overwhelmed by a strong impatience.

"Tch, that smell... I-It's giving a headache", he complained before proceeding to open the shutters of the only window in the room, "(It has thick bars behind... ¡annoying!)"

"Maybe it's because you do not stop wandering here and there, come and take a seat", said Samuel in a low volume of voice, "And stop talking so loud or you will disturb the wounded"

"They're not, just have a few wounds"

"Even if that's true, be considerate with _everyone_"

"_They_ are the ones I care about. Hm... ¿what if we review them with our own eyes? So we know what they have in reality. "

"You better ignore conflicts. Furthermore, it's beyond our interest to know. "

"Sorry for the delay"

The nurse of black short hair entered with some trouble in the room of foreigners. She immediately approached and leaned on the table where Hannes laid, to check his temperature from the forehead.

This one surprisingly awoke, speaking in German by instinct.

_"... Oh, ¿who do we have here? A young beautiful nurse… ¿Am I dreaming?_"

"¡Hannes woke up!", expressed both guys, "¿Are you all right?"

"Um, sir, excuse me but... I do not understand what you say", replied Nifa.

"No trouble", the old blond of little beard changed his language, "Heh he he, I'll talk to you any way you want"

"Thank you. That shall make things easier... then, ¿could you tell me what your problem is? Mister... "

"Hannes, but you can call me Han", smiled slightly, "... You see, I feel very exhausted and my throat is really dry. You may have to examine me more closely"

"Do not believe him, nurse", chimed Samuel standing, "That has little to do with the outcome of the accident."

"Guh..."

The man turned to look elsewhere and the boy proceed with the attention of the women.

"Actually, most suffered cuts, bruises and burns of all levels, although may smoke inhalation also be part of the problem."

"I understand...", the woman insisted to remove the bandages from the outsiders and thus check the injuries, "¿Were you on the aircraft at the time of the accident?"

"...Yes"

"But you seem to be unharmed"

"We only had more luck, that's all"

"I see. Then I will attend to your friends first, ¿ok?", the woman smiled peacefully.

Both boys blushed at seeing such a gesture.

"Um... y-yes, well... don't worry about us, Miss"

The woman came to meet each patient while giving Samuel and Millius an overview of what has been said, then turned away more and more as carrying out her work. Time that Millius Zermusky took to talk privately with his friend. In German, to ensure confidentiality.

"Thomas and Nack seem fine, but ¿what will we do from now on?"

"Continue with these guys... Tsk ... Having to act without own will is the worst", Samuel said, walking to the window with a sigh, "... But it's the best while we devised a way back together to Germany. Fortunately, this hasn't been as bad as I expected, at least for now- Moreover... Millius"

"¿What happens?"

"¿What do you think about what happened since our arrival?", questioned the boy watching gray smoke rising in the distance through the bars.

"Well... I'm not sure. If you ask me, rather it seems surreal what we went through after the accident"

"Surreal ... I think it is the best way to describe it ... but you could even stay short with just that"

"Uh... ¿What exactly are you getting at?"

"You said it by yourself. All this is surreal", the young guy changed the vision toward his friend, "Just think about it, people don't just get mad as we witnessed time ago. According to the nurse mention, only it makes a little more than a week when started this frenzy... (¿Following a TV broadcasting? ¿What did they see?)"

"You never know how people will react, let alone if you do not know them", Millius whispered, "But nothing that matters, I want to go home... (Mother…)"

Samuel laced arms: "Mm... it would have greatly helped us we fully analyzed the situation instead of escaping the streets in terror...", said as he returned to see the distance between the bars.

"Don't deny you wanted to go out there as soon as possible as everyone, Samuel"

"I won't lie about it- Heh, what panic causes..."

The nurse walked over the boys with a silver tray crammed with hideous bandages stained of blood and other yellow fluids.

The two saw it with nauseating expressions and then heard the words of the lady that carried it carefully.

"Some wounds are infected so they will have to wait for me to treat them", she said, "And the clean bandages are gone. After I go for more, I will continue with you."

She went into the next room.

"Uh... ok, delay as necessary", Samuel stammered before Nifa retired.

"Well, I'll be the next one" said Milius with confidence.

"¿Why should it be? I thought you said you felt better ¿right?"

"I don't remember saying that. And ¿why she would attend to you? You've emerged unscathed from all this"

"It is completely normal to be treated as prevention. It may cause some post-traumatic sequel in the future"

"¡What an awful excuse!"

**Point of View: Hitch / Marlo**

3:49 pm

Although appeasing a little, even the discussion from the open field could be listened.

The group of people began to disperse, several to find a seat and protect themselves from the sun's rays.

It seemed that failed to reach an agreement with the man or at least that was what the boy of half shaved hair and his friend thought while talking, sitting on the only bench in the corridor in front of the nursery.

"Amazing... so that's what happened... And now ghost towns appeared ¿huh?", commented the girl playing with her brown curls, "¡Ah! Now I regret even more not having gone over that trip. Damn exams..."

"You should be grateful for not joining us (I am)... Since the accident, everything went from bad to worse", Marlo said, massaging his temple, "What frustrates me right now is to figure out what to do..."

Something filled with uncertainty. Something that he thought he had seen through the bus window on the way, but a "something" that in no way could recognize.

"¿How to proceed...? Don't dare to do something stupid, Marlo. Just wait for the arrival of your parents"

"Nobody shall come...", he murmured, leaning against the back completely.

"¿Why?"

"You see, there are few students who have close relatives living under the same roof. Most travel to neighboring countries to seek employment and send those goods obtained to their families, but they themselves do not return. But your situation is understandably, the daughter of the Principal ignores this kind of needs... "

"¡You speak without knowing!", replied immediately, "It's not as easy as everyone thinks..."

He looked at her for a moment and then returned the view to the open field.

"...That regardless of which reached 18, probably there will be no one who takes care of you anymore- Those were the words of my brother before he left me alone and go abroad. Therefore, no one will come for me"

"¿And what about your other family? Or even friends"

"We lived in the same residence alone. Any other person, even generous enough, always prioritize their most cherished loved ones. You should know that, Hitch. One might even say that this is public information."

The girl let out a huge sigh before him. She opened the plastic pack in her hands and pulled out a can of soda water.

"Always so negative... come on and take it"

He caught the can which was launched to him. Looked at it and raised his lips lightly.

"¿Do you try to comfort me? Do not misunderstand. This is a reality that we live on. Only could depress me if there is a better alternative out there"

"Just stop complaining and drink it", Hitch looked away to one side, "It's the only thing I found in the cafeteria, so you're in luck. And about that... Annie does seem to see a different way ... ¿right?"

"Surely... (I wonder how she will be going with it...)", pondered the young student. Opened the can and waited for the gas to dissipate to drink.

"But what could I know...", Hitch shrugged, "Two years being her classmate and still don't know what goes through the head of that girl. Well, let's change to a much more important issue...", she approached the boy with a mischievous smile, "¿Who was that guy who accompanied you? "

"¿Hm? ¿Which one? There were several", said Marlo, disinterested.

"You know, the one of brown hair and fine eyes"

"¿Jean?", he sighed slightly before continuing to drink, "Do not waste time thinking about such things"

"That's not your concern. Come on, tell me what he likes."

"I'll only say that is not who appears"

"¡No!", she objected, "I gave you the last drink in this school, now I want even the smallest detail"

"(So that was the reason...)"

Marlo ignored her and got up from the bench. He put the can on the ground to crush over and threw it as if it were basketball in a nearby trash can, but failed embarrassingly.

"Ugh..."

"¡Hey, I asked you a question! ¡Moe!", cried seeing that he ignored her picking up the can and dismissing it properly.

"(¿M-Moe?) ... Tchu, if you are so anxious to meet him, do it face to face. Although I suggest it to be soon because we shall go in no time- That's why I told you to not get bothered thinking about those things... "

"¡And I told you it's a bad idea!", manifested Hitch standing with vigor, "¡Ok! You have no reason to stay, but is not right to drag others with you!"

The boy just listened and proceed eloquently, returning to the bank.

"Hitch, I know my colleagues well. I assure you they are the last students at the Institute who would want to see their parents again. So I just wait for us to rest enough before leaving- You should hurry"

"(You arrogant...), thought the young girl returning to the seat, clearly annoyed, "And ¿what if I go along with all of you?"

"... (Shit, I was afraid she would ask...)

"¿¡Any problem with that!?"

"Hmm..."

"¡HYAAAAAAA!"

"¡!"

A resonant and pitched scream was imposed in the place.

Alarmed, the two young students shuddered, wondering where it came from, bending their knees and crossing glances each other and around them hastily.

"¿¡W-What…!?"

The scandal ceased for strenuous seconds.

Total silence appeared.

Even the discussion in the field or sirens were heard outside.

It was impossible to blink, just wait for another sound that re-orientate them.

"¿¡W-What ... h-has been... !?"

This one soon appeared.

The isolated noise of a solid and large object being thrown downhill through bleachers.

Silence returned.

That was the first impression they had. It did not reveal anything more than a hint of its origin, inside the infirmary.

The boy glanced at his partner; speechless and paralyzed behind him. Then he swallowed some saliva and with a heart about to burst, put his fretting hand on the doorknob.

He opened slightly, trying to look for the resulting slit on one side. However, what was inside was still imperceptible with just that effort.

He opened it a little more, then stopped.

Again the aggressive noise of object falling down and again an overwhelming silence.

"-"

A cold sweat slipping up to his chin, splashing his hand on the handle.

The vision of the boy was becoming glassy.

Mechanically, he gave one more attempt to open.

This time, he had the undesirable success.

In that lugubrious room, the lights had stopped working properly; slightly they lit and enlightenment came and went at irregular rhythms.

The curtains finished hiding the poor luminescence.

Marlo squinted between the false dusk.

Black and anomalous figures writhed over the floor violently, pushing objects around.

Still, one of those nocturnal silhouettes stood in the middle of all the others.

Tall, gaunt and with human profile. His head fixed to the sky.

The dim light allowed only to distinguish its eyes and of those, only one image came to mind on seeing them, a solar eclipse.

"¡G-Guh... Aa ... ah!"

The boy watched, irresolute and lifeless as the body that showed before him.

"¡AAAAAH!"

A horrid echo not coming from that dark individual, but the young man in extreme panic with sight directed to it, eerily swinging its legs without bending, walking with rushing towards him between incoherent groans.

* * *

><p><em>Fear lurks in the mind, but danger is very real. <em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	11. Chapter 11 Dawn of Eclipse

**Chapter 11 Dawn of Eclipse**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>_  
><em> Several meetings have taken place after witnessing what appears to be a disease in San Ramael Institute.<em>  
><em> The so despised Third World War has been confirmed and disconcerting unrest following it filled with confusion and doubt the residents, further to discover that this disease is dislocating people. There are no people, they are not human beings, not anymore.<em>

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Matria / San Ramael Institute / February 1st

Point of view: Jean / Sasha / Keith

"¡Old son of a bitch!

"¡Jean! ¡Stop! "

The clouds began to gather in the open sky. Near the exit and parking, a young clutched the unusual black robe of a man much older than him, expressing his unbridled anger as he did.

Despite being stripped of a leather suitcase carrying the brown skin man because of the shock, stayed silent, just watching and listening to the incessant complaints that were spat against him.

"- I see you have returned safe..."

"¡Don't give me that! ¡Makin' poor excuses...! ¡You knew about this! ¡Bastard! ¡Answer! ¡You knew it! ¡And yet...!

The insults were quiet for the subject, who closed his left fist and threw it laterally against the boy's face. He lost his balance and fell on the ground. His partner came to help him.

"Tch, insolent kid", the man mumbled, shaking his sore hand and rearranging his robe, "When you ask for answers, give questions first. I clearly remember I taught you something like that."

"Miserable old man... geh", Jean muttered, wiping some saliva and blood splattered on his mouth, "You left your students into nothingness... ¿and now you hit them? Damn instructor of shit! "

Sasha stopped the enraged boy, then helped him up.

Keith Shadis came near the young students, darkening with his high altitude. Then proceeded to speak in his deep, distinctive voice corroded.

"Both statements are false, indeed ¿or do you have bases to hold them?"

"¿¡Wh-What do you mean!?", Sasha asked nervously.

"I have no reason to explain to you, however, I have always disliked the ignoring of people, especially coming from the stupid youth of our time."

"..."

"It shall be a life lesson ¡So sit down and pay attention, youngsters!", he exclaimed as if they were in a class, "I have not done more than to respond to the call from my wife and children. That was the message before my withdrawal, without words between the lines. And at this time, as you see, I am not formally dressed to be mistaken for a high school teacher; my actions are exempt from the obligations of a moral agent from that order. "

"(Uh ... agent... moral...?)"

Seeing the confusion on their faces, Keith backed disappointed, retook the black suitcase from the floor and pulled a set of keys from the pocket of his robe.

A white sheet dropped thereof without notice.

"... Your ignorance wastes my time. I shall tell you this as a person and not as a teacher ¡Stay out of the way! ¡The streets are for adults! ¡You brats should lower your heads and hide where you can not hinder us! ¿¡Is it clear!?"

The man turned his back, ready to go in the only car in the parking lot, a luxury Jaguar C-x17 4x4 dark blue.

The ponytail girl ran her eyes to it, intrigued: "(...Umm ¿how did he get a car like that?)"

"Heh, then...", Jean smiled. He pushed Sasha aside walked slowly toward the man, "If things are as you say, no matter if I break your face in two here and now. Your impossible tests, extra work and worst of all, your attitude... After all let's be honest, I've always hated you, _as a teacher and as a person_"

"...You have a loose tongue, Kirshtein. But I guess you've heard that before"

"¡JEAAAN!"

His walk was obstructed by the call of his name.

In the distance, near columns was the young of half-shaved hair unusually waving his hand desperately as he ran toward the main entrance. The German boy of gray hair followed him.

"¡Huff! J-Jean! Hah... ¡Let's withdraw from this place! Now! "

"¿M-Marlo? ¿¡W-Why ...!? ¡¿What the hell…?!

"It has begun...", muttered the man behind him. Immediately he turned around and fled.

"¡Tsk!"

The boy just caught sight of him up in the flashy car and escape into overdrive, sending the metal grille flying through the air as a poor crib.

"¡Fuck this shit...! ¡Sasha, we go!

"Um... well ..."

When he turned to her, she was distracted with a dirty paper in her hands, which kept rapidly in the pocket of her skirt.

"¡SASHA!"

"¡Eh! Uh! Y-Yes! "

Point of View: Marlo / Hitch

Marlo immediately closed the door. Inside he heard the creature hit it, creating an opening in the door despite its great thickness.

Shocked, Marlo fell and Hitch instinctively screamed.

"¿¡W-What w-was t-that!?", stammered the girl dropping the bag she was carrying.

The boy did not know how to respond, nor intended to do so. He could hardly stay calm and not go into shock to worry about that.

He stood up using his shaky legs and turned to look at his friend.

"¡We...! ¡We have to get them out! ¡Nifa could be...! "

"¡I'll not go there!", Hitch replied.

A loud knocking was heard at the door. One after another as a temple bells, slowly opened the crack in the door previously made.

"¡Eeeek!"

"¡Hitch, w-we have to get them out!"

It could not be known if he had was that calm by thinking about just that, or because the shock that he tried to avoid had already consumed him.

However, the knock on the door broke the reason for the girl. Without thinking, she fled away from the scene in a hurry, stumbling and screaming in terror.

"¡¿B-but what ...!? ¡Damn bitch!", exclaimed Marlo from the infirmary.

Intermittent noise had stopped for a long time. The boy did not know the reason and actually, did not want to know about it.

In exchange for this, the door handle jerked.

Not knowing what to do, Marlo took two steps waiting for the worst.

When the door finally opened, it came one of the foreign guys who he had previously traveled along with.

"¿¡Y-You are... !?"

Point of view: Samuel / Hannes / Millius

"You could have told us before that you felt better, Mr. Hannes"

"Heh he forgiveness forgiveness. My intention was not to worry you, kids"

The room consequent to the infirmary began to flare up.

Foreigners still lying injured over white stretchers, but now had the ability to exchange words between them.

On the other hand, emotions were mixed in the atmosphere.

Several were glad for the welfare of others, others thanked God for being alive, while some wept the loss of family members and close companions.

The continuing uncertainty of the future appeared unconsciously in every one of them, but was unnoticed for the moment.

"It seems that we recompose slowly, uh. That's good...", commented Hannes, watching the rest of the group from his bed, "Although I cannot get used to the tropical climate... it is cloudy day and still I'm suffocating due to heat... heh"

"Yes…", added Samuel beside him, "...Thomas and Nack awoke a few minutes ago"

"Oh ¿really?"

"It was for a few moments, when the nurse examined them. She announced that they had no serious injuries, so she prescribed them only a long and calm break."

"So I see. Both are sleeping as if she also had prescribed them anesthesia, he he"

The blond man looked away toward the window. There was Millius Zermusky with an object in his hands.

He checked it constantly, then watched the city through the bars and repeated the process.

"Hey, Milly ¿Is something wrong? You seem pale as paper"

"U-Uh, no ... all is well, sir"

He immediately put the rectangular object in his pocket, or so claimed before being interrupted by the man again.

"¡Agh! ¡Why I asked in the first place? ...Excuse me, boy. I understand it must be hard to capture a panorama like this. Jeez, even if you are old, you are still very young (God, forgive me for dragging them into this...)- Moving on another topic, ¿was that your cellphone, right? "

"Um, yes sir"

"¿Still no signal, Mil?", asked Samuel.

"Yes..."

"Quite an inconvenient..."

Hannes was interested, so rearranged himself.

"¿Any problem? ¿What could be this unlucky problem, youngster? Even in a humble school like this should be a landline somewhere"

"We asked for one, but the line is dead"

"¿What about a pay phone?"

"That was the second choice, until we remember the danger outside if we leave these facilities to look for one... Oh, I forgot, you do not know the situation out there, ¿or am I wrong?"

"Mm heard you arguing that on the bus, but I was too sore to understand the details, he he"

"Mr. Hannes ...", sighed Samuel, placing his hands on his own knees, greatly affected, "What we saw ... w-was an unimaginable mass hysteria ... The riots in Tottenham could not resemble it... That's why we decided to wait until signal comes back and communicate with Eren and Mikasa as soon as possible. Between all of us will be easier to think of options."

"The city has become the true image of anarchy ¿huh?", the blond man said to himself, folding his arms, "(Who knew that my brother was able to predict it) Hm ... mmm ... ¡WAIT A MINUTE!"

"¿¡w-What!?"

"¡Hey, hey! ¡Make silence over there! ¡Some of us try to rest"

A foreigner complained the uproar, what Hannes quickly apologized with a gesture and turned to look at two young men. He proceeded lowering the tone.

"This is bad... this is bad… bad bad…"

"Mr. Hannes..."

"¿But what worries you? Please tell us"

"I forgot... dammit… I forgot to tell something important to Mikasa, something very important ... If Grisha found out ... no ... rather ... ¿with what face I could tell him...?"

"I-I don't understand ¿What do you mean?", Milius said.

"...To the east of this country, passing through a vast forest and hid under the ground between it and the coast... ¡Must go to Anima! ¡Without a doubt! The key... "

"¿Ani... ma?"

"Uhm... ¿Did you hear that?", asked Samuel who directed his gaze intently to every corner of the room.

"¿Hm?"

"No... maybe this situation makes me imagine things... ignore me and continue..."

"HYAAAAA!"

"-"

"¡¿W-W-WHAT?! ¿¡W-What the hell was that!?", exclaimed Millius backing up, hitting the wall.

Foreigners remained motionless.

Whispered among themselves, clearly frightened and confused at the sound of objects being thrown forcefully against the walls.

No doubt, as their assumptions were saying, something happened in the room next to theirs.

The door was locked, so somebody had to step up and find out the reason behind the uproar.

Samuel looked Millius, Hannes and then finally to the group; they were terrified.

So it was not the reason that he has left his seat to go to the door, but it was logical that he, as the only unscathed, turned out to be the right person for the task.

First, he put his ear against the door. He could not distinguish or clearly perceived, although falling objects, there was an additional drag sound similar to a snake.

Something hit the door so hard that forced him to back down almost two meters.

"¡S-Samuel!"

That of course greatly startled everyone in the room. Still, Samuel put all his will into extending the arm.

"¡AAAAAA!"

A second scream made him stop. This time it was more deep than the last one.

Desperate, the young German put his hand back and opened the door.

He felt it heavier than it should.

Between the darkness of the room, a body fell at his feet.

"G-Gah ... ah ..."

"¡OH MY GOOOD!"

"¡HAAAA!"

The crowd immediately panicked.

Strong bruises and deep lacerations. Totally dislocated arms and legs. They were missing some fingers on her right hand, while the left was not just because it was pulled off with brute force, leaving the tendons and bones of the wrist view erratically, ejecting blood and other fluids on the floor. The hopelessly body lay face down still convulsing. Her folded neck has been denoted to become turned completely on multiple occasions, leaving the section of the head toward the people. The only empty eyeball in blood fixed on them.

The eye of the young nurse.

"¡Hah ... HA ... Aah! Ah... "

"¡Samuel, BEHIND YOU!"

Millius pointed his trembling finger toward the room next to the back of the boy. This one turned suddenly.

He found in such darkness inside several human figures with bright eyes wandering from one place to another. Worse, a tall, thin one was right in front of the exit door, repeatedly hitting his forehead violently against it.

"¡Close the door, young kid! ¡Close it!", shouted an elderly man among foreigners, desperately hugging his two young daughters.

Hearing that, the eclipse of their looks focused foreigner's room.

Hannes quickly got up from the table and pulled the collar of Samuel to take him in. With the other hand he closed the door and blocked it.

"Ugh"

"¡Millius! ¡The sheet! ¡The sheet!", cried the man.

"¡E-Eh, uh!"

He nodded without a second thought. Took the white cover of the couch to hide the repulsive body on the floor. It turned red on contact.

"Gsk..."

Dizziness and weakness plagued the blond man, who got to be supported by Samuel.

"¡Mr. Hannes! ¡¿What are those things!? "

"¡Th-That does not matter now, boy! ¡We have to escape from this place! "

"¡But the way out ...!"

"¡Jesus Christ, Milius! ¡The window!"

The boy of graying hair took a small bucket of trash from the floor, emptied it and hit a few times the only window of the room, breaking it. After that he tried the same against the thick iron bars that were next, but even forcing them manually could not be able to remove them.

"¡Aaah! ... ¡Damn! ¡Don´t work! ¡Guh ...!"

"¡Then we gonna make our way!", the man turned to other anxious outsiders before his announcement, "¡Every single one! ¡This is an emergency! ¡Take what you have available that can be used for your safety! "

"But sir," replied Samuel, "M-Most are badly injured..."

"¡In that case who can move then! ¡Give me a hand with those who cannot! ¡You two...! "

"¡Woah! Ah! ..."

The door behind him blew up against the wall. The blockade did not resist at all.

On it, culminated a body wallowed frantically.

Unlike the poor visibility of the room from which he came, in this one these morbid black silhouettes were distinguished more clearly.

They were human, seemingly ordinary people, but there was something unusual about them, their eyes.

As solar eclipses. Dilated pupils, completely red sclerotic as blood; that would be the simplest way to describe them.

Everyone watched stupefied that "normal" human being. Just before the panic, one more reason for it took place.

An overwhelming number of these things left the shadows and jumped several meters on foreigners inside the room.

The force required for this is of course immeasurable, but they did so with the same ease as a breath.

Regardless of age or gender, they were holding, biting, scratching and stoked to each and every one of the outsiders among screams and incoherent babbling.

"Ah ... ah ... sh ... n-no ..."

Samuel, Hannes and Millius witnessed horrified the scene of agony and suffering before them.

The little girls who accompanied the old man saw now him being dealt blows that broke his limbs, strong crunches were proof of that.

They ran towards Samuel disturbed, hiding their face, fear and tears behind him.

So he was able to wake up.

The boy spent the look between Nack Teaz and Thomas Wagner that just awakened.

"¡M-Mil, Hannes!", Samuel exclaimed in panic, raising the arm of Thomas almost unconscious on his back, "¡Help me!"

He had no time to reflect on his actions, just enough sanity left to him to try to take away all people he could; no matter how. A tiny chance would appear if they worked together.

Hannes understood that and nodded his head.

Even he being wounded, managed to withstand the young Nack.

On the other hand, Millius lay motionless against the wall.

"N-No ... no ... no ..."

"¡Mil, come on! ¡There is no time! "

"Guh..."

His friend screamed but his words only frightened him even more.

"No..."

Millius slid down the wall shaking until reached the exit.

He ran through it.

"¡Aaaaah! ¡Aaah! ¡Aaaaaaaaa! "

"¿Millius?"

It was not known what was going through his head or if something really happened at first.

"¡MILLIUS!"

He just ran away without looking back.

After avoiding broken glasses and objects that blocked the road in the dark room, he reached the front door of the infirmary.

His unstable state made him fail to open it, and the fact that one of those figures was three meters away worsened his situation.

That human being, tall and thin, was now stood still, muttering and with his forehead pressed against the other wall.

Millius panicked and could open the door. He left quickly and blocked it.

He was preparing to leave there until he met the young Marlo Sand with knees bent, alone and in a not too different state from his own.

"¿¡Y-You are... !?"

The German boy of gray hair tried to ignore him but was caught one of his long sleeves.

"¿¡Where are the others!? ¿¡Where is Nifa!? Hey!", asked Marlo.

"¡Those things...! ¡They... Samuel ... Thomas..."

No words came out of his mouth properly for a short time.

"¡Hey!"

"¡T-They escaped! ¡They went through the other side of the school! "

A short time available to analyze what he said. He accepted the fact ipso facto.

"¡In that case, we'll look for my colleagues and depart as soon as possible!"

To Millius it would have been preferable to leave the San Ramael Institute long before that, however, clearly unaware of its constitution and location of the output. And even if by chance he shall find it, a whole hell would wait outside with open arms. Traveling on foot was not an option. Therefore, he decided to accompany him without thinking too much, despite being frustrated by it all.

They checked the classrooms, restrooms, cafeteria and dining room, none showed traces of the duo.

"¡JEAAAN! ¡SASHAAA!... Hah ... ha ... ha ... ¿Where are you? Guys... "

Both caught their breath near the left lateral sector in a corridor surrounded by high concrete columns and low shrubs.

From there, a discussion could be heard not far away. In search of its origin, Marlo achieved to distinguish Sasha and Jean near the parking lot.

"¡I found them!"

With all the strength of his agitated lungs shouted their names, but only to see that attracted their attention, he waved his hand to guide them towards the main entrance, in order to be everyone there.

"Uff… They seem to have understood the message ¡Stranger, let's get going! "

Millius nodded and followed him down the field. Travel that road was the quickest way to cross with them.

"Ah... ah... Damn, Marlo ¿¡Now what's the problem!?", exclaimed Jean approaching with Sasha.

"T-This is not at all well, Jean", replied Marlo holding his own face in frustration, "W-We saw something in the nursery..."

"¿Huh? ¿What are you talking about? And… ¿what it has become of your companions? German boy"

The boy looked at the floor.

"¡Hey! ¡Answer... me...! ¡Ahh... ah... "

A disturbance started happening in the field and facilities of the place.

The dozens of people waiting now fled in terror, pushing each other, letting acute screaming and crushing whom had the misfortune to stumble.

Nevertheless, it was not only that what disturbed the student of brown hair, but also, and especially, the many "things" dressed in hospital patient's ropes, mobilizing abnormally and stalking the man, women, children and elderly they could reach.

Indeed, the bloody and brutal way in which massacred and smashed the bodies was the most striking for the four boys.

"N-No… It cannot be..."

"¡They escaped! ¡Run!", recited Millius.

"¿¡But where... !? ¡Look out the main gate! It's... "

The "things" made their way to the crowd, the people which had crammed into the main exit of the Institute in an attempt to save their lives.

"T-Tsk..."

"¡Jean, the parking!", announced Sasha holding the boy's shirt, "But..."

"(¡That's it!) ¡You two, follow us!"

"¡B-But wait, Jean! ¡What will happen to all these people? ¡¿Is Nifa with them!?"

"¡Sasha, there's no time!"

"Sorry, b-but I cannot go that way", the girl stepped forward anxiously to the front, "I-If I can let them know… ¡HEY YOU... LISTEN TO M... MMMM!"

In the agglomeration, only one person listened.

Fortunately, Jean stopped that call, blocking the mouth of his partner and took her by the waist from behind. He approached near her ear and whispered.

"¡Idiot! ¿What the hell are you doing?... ¿Don' you see the speed of these things? If you call attention we won't escape from them, that's for sure."

When she stopped struggling, he freed her.

"¡But...! But... "

"¡Sasha, listen! If there is something to do at this point is use them", he forcefully grabbed her hand and pulled her, "¡Now shut up and go!"

"T-That's… but…"

The four returned hastily to parking. They dodged the rocks on the way and significant cracks to break through the remnants of the gate, which was hit by the instructor.

Running alongside the mesh that separated the San Ramael Institute outside, they looked perfectly to the stricken people inside screaming for help and doing their best to escape amid the despair and madness.

Even warning them of the alternate route resulted useless. Too late...

They wanted to look away from such a scenario, they really wanted, as well as running away.

Finally they reached the student's yellow and damaged bus with which they arrived.

Marlo ran his hand down the front and opened the doors of it: "Hah ... ah ... ¡Come on! ¡Go in! ¡Now!"

None held back.

Marlo Sand returned the driver's seat and inserted the keys to switch on. Others went directly to see through the windows except Milius, who hid in the back of the bus crouched, covering his ears and closing his eyes.

Jean was about to get his cell until...

"¡WAIT!"

A girl with short clear curls hastily ran down the rocky road they had traveled before.

"(¿Who is...?)"

Sticking his head out the window, Jean wondered who she was. Marlo already knew beforehand.

"¡Sit down Jean, we must go!", said the boy angrily as he started the engine of the bus and pulled the lever to lock the doors.

"Ah ... Ah ... ¡Hold on!"

"¡Jean, the gate!"

In the distance, Sasha noted that the mesh had succumbed under the weight and pressure. On the same did not pass fleeing residents, only those "things" that were lurking just before them, treading the sea of blood and guts that left after the attack.

The girl named Hitch Dreyse escaped with all her might to reach the closed door of the bus.

The "things" were coming up behind her in the distance. While they were away, they knew they would soon catch her.

"¡P-Please! ¡OPEN!", she began desperately knocking on doors again and again, "¡PLEASE! HELP! Gah… gsk... ¡I beg you!"

Her tears flowed and slid down her cheeks incessantly.

Jean was astonished looking at her while Marlo simply ignored. Stepping on the accelerator, the bus moved on.

They slowly departed, leaving the Institute and the girl who chased them back.

"¡PLEASE! Ah .. ah ... please ... "

The boy sat down and checked his cellphone. He knew that stopping the bus would be a great risk.

Sasha started sobbing, watching as the "things" quickly was reaching the girl behind.

Before listening any claim from her, Jean interposed.

He tossed his phone and stood up.

"¡S-Sasha, try to call the others! ¡And Marlo, stop the bus!"

The girl of ponytail, surprised, caught the cell phone and immediately did as he asked, but Marlo had his own doubts.

"That shall not happen, Jean"

"¡¿What nonsense you say, Marlo!? ¡Just do it! "

It seemed to ignore him also, so Jean took his shirt hard and cried in front of him.

"¡Stop the damn bus, NOW!"

Marlo, with bad attitude, stopped replicating.

He agreed to slow the bus while Jean opened the doors of it.

She that was still persecuted was surrendering, however, seeing the diminishing speed, sped up with the little energy she had left.

"¡H-Hold… on!"

Jean was placed on the door and reached out to try to catch her hand.

The "things" also quickened their pace. The ones that mobilized in three suddenly were placed at just less than five meters from the girl and the others tried to jump through.

"¡AAAAHHH!"

"¡HOLD MY HAND!"

Hitch heeded his words and extended hers.

A few centimeters of taking it, Jean stretched his body and reached. He pulled her along with a little jump and could take her on the bus.

"Tsu... ah... ah..."

With the trembling girl in his arms, the boy turned to the driver and said.

"¡TAKE US OUTTA HERE, MARLO!"

No sooner said than done. The young driver stepped on the gas and hastily shifted gears.

It was time to go, and in turn, Hugo awoke.

"Mm... gum... damned foreigners... shut up goddammit... ¿huh?... ¿¡WHAT THE FUCK!?"

* * *

><p><em>Something morally accepted does not mean to be naturally right… <em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	12. Chapter 12 Eerie Calm

**Chapter 12 Eerie calm  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong><em>The story so far:<em>**

_Without knowing what happened to Jean, Sasha and others. It appears that the group of residents and outsiders Eren and Mikasa is lucky when changed their route to Los Canes instead the capital. Everything looks calm and quiet, perhaps too much.  
>On the other hand, the Spanish soldier Sayram see a touch of his story after leaving the port of Rota with his memories.<em>

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Los Canes / February 1st, 4:10 pm

[Pour me some more, please. I'm not a squirrel]  
>[¿Is it me or is finally cooling the day?]<br>[Lower your elbows off the table ...]  
>[¡Don' start!]<br>[Ha ha ha ...]

"(¿How much they go through to get to this...?), Mikasa thought quiet.  
>"(... ¿Why they act as if nothing happens? ¿Are they stupid?)", Eren continued.<br>"Hey, you two. This is the colossal _Olla de Carne_", the boy of low stature changed view to both while still eating, "¿Difn't you fike if?"

The confused young Germans watched the jovial and lively scene around the table in the little house. They had not touched their dishes in front of them.  
>The emerald-eyed boy doubted by the concern of the moment while his adoptive sister simply wary of the ingredients used.<p>

Outside, dusk approached, and mixed with uncertainty silence, isolated the group as if it were closed in another world.

"Connie, keep your mouth closed when eating," rebuked Kyklo, clearing his cutlery with a handkerchief before anything, "Truly speaking, it is impolite what you do"  
>"¿¡Mm!?"<br>"... And if our guests wish to reject the rations we generously offer them, ¿Why mediate the matter?"  
>"But as the chef offends me they don' even want to try it... ¡At least try it!", he claimed to Eren, who retreated a little.<br>"I-Indeed, it is delicious", said Berthold trying to appease him.  
>"Your opinions don' count if you have already tried my kitchen for years. As judges you're like bribed umpires now"<br>"Stay calm, Connie", the robust Reiner stepped looking for a clean plate from his bag and placing it on the table, "Surely they must have their reasons, such as not trusting us ¿Or am I wrong?"  
>"Tsk..."<p>

Eren looked away for a moment and then returned to the subject with anger.

"I thought I already gave my opinion clearly. If you really want to know it about you…", raised his index finger and pointed to his own head, "Something isn't right in there"  
>"¿¡Eh!?"<p>

Connie winced unlike the others, who quickly regained calm.

"Well, I think it will take time to get used to each other"  
>"(Both agree...)"<br>"... Although we have already did it with Jean and Hugo. It shows that anything is possible", Reiner said, "Either way, you should eat something. We don't know when will be the next time we could have a moment of peace like this"  
>"I'm not hungry at all…"<br>"And you ... uh ... Mi ... Mika ... Mikasa, right?"  
>The young dark hair shook his head slowly: "... We ate on the plane, but thanks"<br>"Hm... Let's see ... I'll ask you something, only for you two. No one else responds ¿you understand?"  
>"Ok ok…"<br>"¿Hm? ¿What?", Eren asked.  
>"Well, pay attention"<p>

He placed three things between him and the foreigners: a pot of rice, a plate with a piece of beef and a vessel filled with water.

"I want you to tell me exactly what you see on the table, starting with you", he looked at Mikasa.

She was quick to respond honestly.

"... Meat, rice and water"  
>"Fine ¿and you?"<p>

It was the turn of Eren, who did not even waste time analyzing.

"¿Isn't it clearly enough?", he declined slightly and crossed his arms, " ... Just as Mikasa said"  
>"¿Is that it? ¿Are you sure?"<br>"Yes…"  
>"¡Hah! I knew they would be wrong", Connie said nodding.<p>

"¿Why? ..."  
>"Don't feel bad, just Berthold knew the correct answer in a similar game", Reiner said, "Oh and Armin as well... I was surprised that he knew it. I guess he's good for these kind of things, he he"<br>"¿So…?"  
>"So…"<p>

The blond boy shook his black vest and first took the plate with beef.

"This is not meat, are proteins for growth and regeneration of muscle tissue. Strength"

He placed the plate in front of himself and continued to the next.

"This is not rice, are carbohydrates, the body's fuel constant. Resistance"

A dollop of rice a side of beef was served.

"While this...", held the glass vessel and began to pour some into a glass, "It is not water, is the hydration the sustains everyone. Vitality"  
>"¿How the hell you thought we were going to know all that shit?", Eren replied.<br>"Heh, now you know. We were not born to be nutritionists or something, we learned it from Touma, our Coach of the team, and in the hard way. I wonder how he is going on... "  
>"...¿What is supposed to teach this?", asked Mikasa with a slight facet of curiosity.<br>"(Do not eat, nourish yourself) Listen, it is not a matter of perspective, but reality", stepped Kyklo, pausing briefly, "It shall be absurd only for those who hears but not listen. Understand the essence behind the words..."

The boy of low stature followed.

"He he he, if Kyklo says it, it must be true. We gonna let it to ya as a task"  
>"..."<p>

Both young foreigners looked at each other; no comments.

"¿What? ¿Did you think that philosophy should always be serious and boring?"  
>"You definitely proved that it can also be funny and stupid", Eren mumbled sarcastically. Took up the headphones hanging on his neck with indifference and turned on the music on his cellphone before lying on the table.<p>

"¡Mm! Not bad, Connie", said Reiner eating.  
>"Oh, well... I didn' find ingredients such as potatoes or carrots, but with sweet potatoes, cassava and corn is still a pot of meat ¿right?", replied scratching his head, "Actually, I was more concerned that the meat doesn' soften enough, Annie said that soon we must go so... uh, by the way, ¿she still there? "<br>"I think so"  
>"I can't believe she pressed me for nothing...", he complained while serving two dishes. Mina offered to help but her face was a clear uncertainty.<br>"(¿Why did they take so long?) ... ¿Is Annie ok?"  
>"Don' ya think they're... ?, stammered the shaved guy in front of her, with a malicious gesture marked on his face, "Ke ke ke... "<p>

He noticed the piercing stares of which was victim by Berthold and Kyklo. It was then he immediately retracted his words.

"E-Eh well, I better... look for them myself. Maybe the old Arlert also want ¿isn' it?"

Seeing him retiring with both plates in each hand as a restaurant waiter, the rest resumed their normal dinners, although foreigners still refused to touch theirs.

"Guys...", the girl of voluminous hair broke the silence, "Now that I notice ... We have heard nothing but the barking of dogs since we came to the neighborhood... I'm worried. ¿You?"  
>"You're right, Mina", said Berthold, "I live in the next district but I have always heard that Los Canes is usually busiest... ¡N-Not that I have bothered before! B-but... the silence is so creepy"<br>"Hm..."

Moreover, Mikasa pushed her plate aside. She waved a hand over the back of Eren to remove his headphones and with the other one caught the attention of everyone.

"... ¿Could both use your shower?"  
>"...¿Both?", asked Mina dropping her fork.<br>"... ... ..."

Everyone stopped instantly perplexed by the sudden question. The greatest impact was, in fact, in the German boy of emerald eyes.

"Gah... ¡M-Mikasa! ¿¡What the hell are you saying!?", exalted hitting the cabinet beside her, listening to gossip behind their backs.

[¿Not that they were brothers?]  
>[<em>~Ho Ho Ho<em>]  
>[¿Didn't you hear them? Don't share blood ties]<br>[So ¿is it legal? Ha ha ha]  
>[Heh, this is getting hot]<br>[Reiner...]  
>[Ignore me, ha ha]<p>

"Tsk ... Mikasa, look what you've caused...", murmured Eren holding his forehead.  
>"... I do not think I've offended anyone"<br>"That's not the point!"  
>"Hey Hey hey. Stay calm my people, stay calm", Reiner intervened gesturing with his arms. Carolina proceed.<br>"Y-You... I doubt Armin would bother if you use the tub but won't go together ¡For no reason! We will not tolerate that kind of inappropriate behavior among us"  
>"...¿Inappropriate?", Mikasa said in a low tone, under confusion, "We have traveled a long way... no, actually, we do not have to explain you why"<p>

"(Tsk ¿Was not your idea to get along with them? Mikasa)", Eren thought running his hand in the face, "You see, what she mean is that by travel and the accident, a taking a bath would fall well for us. But... ", he looked at the girl beside him, "Apparently still don't understand that bothers me to go together, despite I already told her thousands of times.

Mikasa retreated a little and hid her face from her stepbrother.  
>Amid the short silence she replied.<p>

"...I just... The boy said that we would leave at any time so..."  
>"¡GAH! Ssss ah... "<p>

The conversation was interrupted by a slight scandal behind all.  
>The low boy of shaved head had been trying to listen through the door where he was supposed to deliver the dinner and was now paying the consequences for his snooping.<br>He was on the floor. Stunned by the blow against the door opened unexpectedly before him. He massaged his flushed forehead and removed the impregnated food from the chest to the foot over himself.

"¡S-Sorry, Connie! ¡I didn't see you! ¡Truly!"

The little blond let go of the door handle to kneel and help among his own anxiety.  
>A young girl approached behind both, leaving the room with a heavy bag in her hand: "... ¿What were you doing up there anyway, Connie?", she said seriously.<p>

"Guh ... I just brought your food. That's it."

Selfless, she turned away and walked to the small room where laid the rest of the group.

"That's not important now. It is time to leave this place"  
>"¿Did something happen, Annie?", Berthold arose immediately, which shook the table, "W-Well, I mean..."<br>"...We understand now where to start our travel"  
>"¿Huh? ¿Where...?", asked Connie rejoining. Armin replied, though his face was anything but patience in this regard.<br>"... My grandfather is not in his room"  
>"¿Hm?"<br>"B-But he left this on his bed"

From the pocket of his slim pants, pulled out a crumpled piece of paper with a few letters written at first sight. His friend came to read it.

"Let me see…"  
>"Gleaning the details later", said the little blonde woman.<br>"Annie, tell us... ¿Why the rush?"  
>"I have said that is not the time, Mina. Prepare yourself"<br>"I'm sorry…"

Sighing heavily and shaking her bangs on her ear, Annie watched through the window allowing to see the sky in the distance.  
>Scattered clouds and haze overshadowed the bright full moon in the East, and they went together with the sun to the west.<p>

"... It shall be dark soon and the path will not be pleasant. The last thing we need now is to gain unnecessary trouble for ridiculous oversights "  
>"(¿What time is it? I'm tired... these guys…), Eren thought without much interest in the situation, turning off the music player on his phone.<p>

Contrary to Mikasa, who stood.

"¿What do you mean by the route is dangerous?"  
>"¿Have I not been clear enough? It means that journey itself is a risk, and worse in darkness... I do not know another way to make it easier to understand, outsiders"<p>

The young German was upset by attitude painted in those words, but did not replied anymore. Therefore, Annie continued, turning to the group.

"... The others shall recognize the way and know what I mean", she said as she climbed the bag over her left shoulder, toward the exit, "Berthold, drive this time"  
>"¡O-OK!"<br>"Heh, as you heard", Reiner said, "All the dishes on the table and move on. We will philosophize with food at another time."

Something restless, the whole group stood up after listening. Wore coats who have them and picked up the collected objects for the travel.

"Damn, I hate to waste food", Connie replied with clenched teeth, hurriedly putting together half-eaten food on the table and even the watered on the wooden floor, "People shouldn' do that."  
>"L-Let me help, I have a plastic bag here", his friend offered.<br>"...Come on, Armin. Tell me at least the name of the place we gotta go. Don' leave me with curiosity"  
>"Um... well... as the note says... near the district Homen"<br>"¿¡Homen!?", stopped for a moment the task despite the rush, but the surprise could not be ignored, "Of all the places... ¿And why we avoid the capital then? ¿What is it worth?"  
>"Matria... about boys..."<br>"¡Connie, Armin! Hurry up or we'll leave without you!"  
>"¡P-Pardon!"<p>

The horn rang and the engine turned on in the silver minibus parked in front of the humble abode were heard. It was all that could be perceived in kilometers.  
>A new route was drawn on their map without planning.<br>As ignorant mouse breaking into a snake's burrow; yet it remains a recognized place, it's away from being the preference of connoisseurs passersby.

* * *

><p><em>What the eye perceives is always the same in essence, but each one interprets differently<em>_. _

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


	13. Chapter 13 Mirror Concrete

**Chapter 13 Mirror Concrete**

* * *

><p><em><strong>The story so far:<strong>_

_Having found a letter from the missing Armin's grandfather at his home in Los Canes, now they had in mind a name and an address, the Homen's District.  
>They had not found anyone else in the whole trip, not a single person in the streets.<br>So may find answers there, even though the road ahead does not enjoy a good fame._

* * *

><p>Republic of Darseny  Los Canes (Second Avenue) / February 1st, 5:50 pm

He could not understand at the time.

He had arrived in a country far from his homeland along with his sister, his uncle and some of his classmates from high school, when it was supposed to be a simple exchange trip for few weeks. There was not a hint of doubt about that reality, except the boy's concern.

¿Why towards this country? ...

A virtually unknown nation to the world. So small that it could be dulled by the shadow of a fly on the maps. No special attraction, but a place with such characteristics precisely contradicts them.

¿... Is there really such a place?

For him, that was incomprehensible, but questioned further about the group to which he was attached.

The increased movement of guerrillas, armed conflicts between the powers overshadowed the globe, the desperate search for resources...

The situation was already on alert even before departing from Germany, not to mention the eminent economic and social imbalance.

The world falls apart.

He understood that quite well, just ignored it.

He knew that as a simple individual, worrying about it would not change anything at all. However, he was not alone; a peculiar group was around him.

Still lingered in his thoughts the same imperturbable ideology. Do not misunderstand. The attitude of these young men of the same age of him was "difficult to process" under any known judgement.

"(Everyone handles stress in their own way, uh)"

For him there was no other rational explanation, or that was the only one that went through his mind.

"¿...Eren?", asked Mikasa sitting next to him.

He only saw the trees through the window while listening to music on his headphones, trying not to succumb to sleep.

None of them knew where they were or where they were headed.

Completely limited to the eccentric group that traveled.

Kyklo deeply fell asleep in his seat with crossed arms.

Mina looked the surroundings worried that they were slowly darkening.

Armin checked over and over again the white cellphone in his hands.

And Reiner with Connie talked carelessly in the back.

"I'm telling you, Connie. You should have seen. It was hilarious"

"You're kidding, I will never believe it until I see it"

"Ha ha"

Moreover, a person among them could not relax that much.

"(Hm... It's getting dark faster than I estimated...)"

The small young blonde rested her right elbow on the open window, and fixed her blue eyes through the front of the minibus toward the saffron horizon over the mountains.

The clouds in the sky increasingly crowded, the same rate that the visibility and sense of direction in the wooded path were lost.

"(Rushing was useless. At this rate ...)"

At hers side and in the driver's seat, Berthold watched her repeatedly without losing the way. Probably he understands what was happening.

"Focus on the route, Berthold."

"U-Uh yes!"

"And all of you, close the windows", she said in a soft voice as she picked up her elbow and closed hers.

The group behind her was distracted as if nothing was happening. At first they did not hear the order until Mina came from the back seat.

"Um ... Annie ¿Is something wrong?"

"...Shut the windows, all of them"

"Boys!", Exclaimed her friend turning to the others, "Listen, we cannot have opened windows, please close them"

"Ok ok…"

They did what they were asked, but with little interest in the reasons. They soon resume their leisure.

"Hey, Berth!", Reiner said joining his palms in the neck, "Do you remember the last game we saw at home before the trip?"

"Uh... yeah, I think so", he replied looking in the rearview mirror over his head.

"Heh, ¿and remember the guy on the final play in overtime?"

"Ah, he he... the umpire ¿right?", smiled slightly, returning the view to the front.

"¿You see, Connie? In that play the running back took the side and the umpire followed closely to make sure he didn't stepped off the field. I assure you that the man ran faster than the player himself, ha ha ha"

"Hah, Impossible... _¡Change of player, give that man the equipment!_ Ha ha ha "

"He he he sure!"

"Man... I missed that game due to bio's work. The year's just startin' and teachers excited leavin' work for home... Too much cruelty"

"Thanks we had a tour also. But look on the other hand, there is no teacher with as little sanity that will accept a homework right now"

"Heh, with no doubt. For some reason... ¡I feel much freer now!", said Connie stretching his arms back, "Ah... No school, work or obligations... ¿¡What kid has not dreamed about this ever!?"

"That's true, assuming that something is actually happening. Although we can consider it because we haven't encountered any familiar face (or person). If I'm not mistaken, my ol' man had returned from his business trip one week ago... In short, the problem is we don't know the real situation, and where we are heading with certainty... Speaking of which, it seems we are close to reaching… I recognize this avenue... Homen ¿is not it, Annie?"

"...It's kind of funny to call avenue such a neglected road like this", replied the blonde little girl.

"I'm afraid to repeat it but ¿could we know why it's that dangerous as you say?", asked Mikasa with subtlety. His brother was asleep and for her liking, his head was leaning against her shoulder, "I think... we both have the right to know"

"It is not the district Homen that worries us, but its route.", the blond boy locked the cellphone and handed it to Mina, "Thank you so much. Please, try to check it constantly"

"Um... ok, Armin"

He returned his view to the ground and clasped his hands. A tension in his aura that any could notice.

"...From Los Canes there is only one route to Homen district due to dense wooded areas and the lack of roads that characterize it. The municipalities decided long ago to pass it unnoticed; required large sums of money to work in a complex geography like this, so they focused on the following areas to the district..."

"You could say that _Los Canes_ and _Homen_ are completely different worlds", added Annie, crossing her legs, "If the extension of this area will quadruple would be enough to split the country in two."

"...Yes", continued Armin crestfallen and brooding, "Over time it was neglected to the point where trade and security were also affected. Well... I have understood that there are still people who continue to reside in the way but... I'm not entirely sure"

"Not a place you could hear often, but the last thing you declared is true, in a sense", said Kyklo. He had awakened and seemed he heard every word spoken.

"Ah! It's true, Kyklo used to live on this route", Connie started holding his seat, "I visited him a few years ago, after school"

Annie moved to see him in the mirror on one side of the minibus: "If you knew this route, you could say it before... Now, speak"

"He he he... actually, I just came by here a few times. I didn' like it, you know. So violent that things became sometimes", he returned to his seat, "People shouted, banged on the doors... huff... and I think that one guy crashed a motorcycle in the garage of another..."

"(¿All that happened in just a _few times_? ... Quite a _beautiful_ place to live…) ¿And what about you, Kyklo?", she questioned.

"Since I can remember from my childhood... It would be inappropriate to state that I grew up in these surroundings. They were merely two years. After that... ", he withdrew a moment, "... I was sent to the Orphanage in Homen District... Returning to the subject, I am lacking the knowledge you need, Annie. In the past, this route was the cradle of troubled families and resources inaccessible but now the landscape has changed in a way that is unrecognizable to me. However, if we talk about Homen own district and its surroundings, circumstances turn out to be different"

Annie sighed softly: "...It will take a while to reach the district and that's not really what we should focus our attention. Look over there"

What was an isolated and wide asphalt road covered by weeds, cracks and medium-sized trees was reduced to a dark cave made of dense vegetation.

Light poles several meters back went out.

Berthold stopped the minibus in front of the "cave". Annie opened the door and stepped out quickly to check the place.

"¡W-Wait, Annie! ¿Where are you going?", exclaimed Berthold from the handle.

"I take advantage of the little light that is left..."

"I'll go with you", said while leaving the minibus hurriedly without even worrying it was still on.

Meanwhile, others settled into their seats and ordered the luggage between them.

"...¿Shouldn't we also go down?"

"No thanks, Mina. I'd like to avoid the Chupacabras or anythin' that could appear outside. In addition, we can watch'em through the window, aye", Connie said rummaging through the bags, "What worries me is how we gonna sleep between all these things"

"You assumed that we are going to spend the night in this forest", replied Kyklo, doing the same, "You know as well as I that is a fateful choice... Mm... ¿Could I know the provenance of these many objects around us?"

"I wonder the same...". This said, he found black plastic bags and extracted from them separate parts of dumbbells.

"Em ... ¿Reiner?"

The robust boy coughed a little: "...¿Did you even believed that I'd leave behind the dumbbells and equipment? You don't get these muscles drinking while sitting and watching TV the whole day, guys"

"Wait a sec, Reiner ¿You also brought the football equipments?"

"…Not exactly"

"Then let us know why there are so many plastic bags among the luggage", said Mina seeing behind and beneath the seats, "We could think someone purposely hid them."

"…He he about the pads... Berth is typically responsible for washing them each week. Thanks to that we could pick them from his house"

"..."

"..."

"Reiner"

"¿What?"

"We'll throw everything out of the minibus"

"Hey, hey, hey, wait. They could be useful to us sometime. Also they weren't the only things I brought, we also got a punching bag (Although you need to fill it...). Annie would like to take it with us"

"... I agree with him", stepped Mikasa trying not to wake Eren, "I do not recommend losing the habit... and I guess the same way must be for her"

The girl of voluminous hair relaxed her shoulders and nodded.

"Well... you convinced me, guys. But have the decency to please help us sort out some of this ¿okay? Maybe we can open some space to sleep"

"That also goes for tha guy that looks comfortable over there", said Connie pointing the German boy that lay asleep against his stepsister.

"I'll do it for them. Don't worry", the blond boy stood up from his seat to offer help.

"It's good to see you better, Armin" Mina worried about him, "If something happens to you... you can always tell us."

He was silent for a moment.

"...You see, actually ... I did not want to worry you... I- I got a call on Mina's phone when we were in Los Canes..."

"¿A call? ... That is rude! Armin ¿Did you ask my cell phone to spy? ¿Is that why you asked?", she exclaimed.

"N-No! I-I meant no harm! I wanted to call the guys after dinner! But- ironically were they who did it first... "

"¿From Jean's phone?"

"...If I'm right it was Sasha who made the call, not him."

"(¿¡Sasha!?)", Connie startled, though he tried in vain to hide it, "Um ... ¿what did they say?"

"I'm not sure. S-She spoke so fast, and it seemed... (seemed like she was crying) ...I think ... I think they were persecuted"

"¿¡W-Why!? ¿¡Who!?"

"..._Something that was not human_"

Silence prevailed inside the minibus after that, and the outside was not that different.

Only the wind that brushed the windows and shrubs was possible to perceive. Among those the small young of blue eyes was walking, shaking her blond bangs over her ear, followed by the tall and hesitant who wanted to accompany her into an ever more noticeable darkness.

It was a completely black entrance. You could not see past through it, but also happened to be the beginning of a slope, so studying the way back was her real objective.

"...¿Do you get to see something?", She asked, squinting and standing on tiptoe.

"Uh... sorry, Annie, only manage to see more trees until the next peak", said Berthold, "But... ¿wouldn't it be better to wait until tomorrow to continue?"

"... ¿Should we?"

"¿...?"

"We are beyond the Second Avenue of Los Canes... No lighting or sunlight to go back, nor forward (In fact, it's strange that the lights went out at this hour...). It's true that would be the best choice, taking into account that we are stuck. But, before we hasten not only for the fact to avoid losing visibility, Berth"

Looking for in the pocket of her sweater, she pulled out a piece of paper. The same she had found in the small room of the modest home in Los Canes.

"¿That is…?"

"The letter left by Armin's grandfather on his bed, or so we believe", she looked at it for a moment, "Armin confirmed that it was his grandfather's in the manner of his writing. I do not doubt him but you see, it's a very orthodox style", clarified as she handed the letter to the boy.

"Yes, you're right... but then ¿that the door of his house was open was not by mistake?"

"There are several possibilities... ...I decided to reveal you something I hid. Indeed, the message was written on a full page. It was me who took just a piece... because the rest of the letter was stained"

Rummaging again in her pockets, she pulled out a piece of paper larger than the previous one -its complement- and unrolled it for display.

"¿A-Annie?"

"Yes ... it's blood"

Most of the paper possessed several dark and slightly reddish marks, similar to how a fingerprint stains.

"... If his dominant hand was bleeding writing it the message would have been directly affected, but it's clean and with no deviations. With the stains on the right place of the letter, it means that the man wrote to the left and if he was attacked, happened after it was over", concluded Annie placing a hand on her chin, "It means he planned to go to Homen in advance. On one hand... I do not understand why he didn't wait for the return of Armin... ¿who attacked him at home? ¿And what exactly is in the District of Homen?... I may be giving too many turns to an issue that may well be trivial..." she sighed, "(But the concern is not going away...)"

"Hm..."

"...Berthold", stared at him, "Do not tell others about it", she clarified before crumpling the paper into a ball and throwing it in the dark among the bushes, "Especially to Armin, ¿understood?"

"Yes...", the tall boy said as he returned the letter in her hands, "You can… You can trust me everything! Annie..."

"I would not have it said that if it were otherwise", she commented, "...Well, now you have an idea about the causes of our predicament... I'll do the same question you did a while ago ¿Should we wait until tomorrow?"

"I... well ... um..."

She continued to wait until he gave his answer. Berthold massaged his neck and looked to another direction.

"If it's for our own good... I think it is best to wait. If it is for his grandfather... "

"I'll put it differently ¿What would you decide if you were me?"

She offered no time to think.

He swallowed some saliva and replied knowing it: "...I-I would wait"

"I see...", Annie muttered keeping the piece of paper, "Let's go back to the minibus. Somehow we'll be settled for the night", she turned and walked back to the auto. The boy remained silent.

"..."

"...And by the way, you forgot to turn off the engine."

"O-Oh sure I got distracted, sorry. I'll do it"

Once they approached the gray vehicle could hear a commotion from inside. A discussion out of place for a secluded site in the middle of nowhere in which they found themselves.

[¡Explain yourself, Armin!]

[The signal was lost shortly after, ¡l-Im so sorry!]

[They could be animals ¿right? I mean, by the mountain route they took]

Both entered confused. Berthold closed the front door and sat in the driver's seat to stop the engine. Annie held his shoulder, wondering what was happening.

"Berth, you gotta hear this...", Reiner crossed his arms and looks the little blonde, "Annie, you might want to enlighten us a bit about it."

"¿Hm?"

"The call from Sasha…"

"...Oh, it was that", she replied nonchalantly, sitting.

Connie got up from his own seat impatiently: "¿¡What we expect here then!? Hell, ¡Let's move back to Matria! ¡It's not so hard to decide! ¿isn' it?"

"If you want a decision that will be await tonight and continue our way to Homen, just when the first appearance of light from the Su..."

"¡¿How do you think I could even sleep knowing that something could have happened?! ¡Annie!"

"...from the sun appears. Not a minute later", she finished her sentence, ignoring him.

"¡A-Annie!"

"Connie, please calm down", Mina said, "It's better if we do not discuss among us ..."

"¡You, shut the fuck up! Do not mess!"

"¿W-W-What...? ¿¡W-What's wrong with you!?"

They were getting close together but Reiner separated them in time.

"Connie, until a few moments ago you were all right..."

"¿¡But do not you see…?!"

"¿Have you forgotten why we met before leaving? Jean and others made their decision and we made ours. Each with their own problems to deal with", he sighed, "…I understand what you mean, but even leaving aside this journey would take us several hours to reach the capital, and with no signal we wouldn't know where to start looking for", he paused a moment and looked at him closely, "Our families may be at Homen..."

Connie wanted to reply but did not do it after hearing that last.

"Tsk..."

"Come on, do not stress yourself", Reiner placed his big hand on the boy's back, "The best we can do for them is to be aware of another call. Don't forget they have Jean. You know him well, he's not as reckless as he seems."

"Even so... (I don' like this at all ...)"

"Enough discussion for a day", added Annie looking into her bag and covering herself with a blanket, "Sleep now, and Berthold, lock the doors"

"Ok…"

Connie wanted to replicate again but now was Kyklo who put a hand on his shoulder. He shook his head, hinting to desist.

"(S-Shit...)", Connie pressed his teeth upset, "¡Well! ¡All right! … Let's _try_ to sleep! ..."

The minutes passed.

And they felt like hours for her, the girl who was suffering from some sort of insomnia unlike others.

Even Connie, who flatly refused at first had ended up being the first one to drop.

But this girl thought differently. Uncertainty overwhelmed her away from the fullness of sleep. In fact, her concentration was fixed on the boy attached to her shoulder.

"(Mm... My shoulder would numb if it continues)", she thought arching her lips slightly.

Watched Eren sleep peacefully at her, with a barely noticeable breathing.

Mikasa stretched out her right hand, trying not to wake him, and gently removed the phone from his hand. With a pair of sliding movements of her thumb, she shut it and laid it on her own thighs. Then removed both headphones from his ears with subtlety and using a blanket beside her, covered herself and her stepbrother. The latter was about to wake up, but fortunately only rearranged himself.

She returned to the unrest that occupied her night time; to the weight over her chest that held the strange key.

She took it and watched for a while, turning it from all angles.

"(...Millius, Nack, Thomas, Samuel, Mr. Hannes ...If something happened to that girl, they too should be affected... ¿At some point we are going to meet again? Perhaps... perhaps for that reason Mr. Hannes has told me to go to the East. The place we'll go tomorrow will be in that direction, so ¿we are going to meet them there? ...)", meditated as she put the key back and stared through the window, "(I really do not know... I do not know what he meant or why he gave me this key... And… he did not clarified at least one name that I can ask to these guys... ¿Where are we going...?)"

Normally there would be some visibility in the environment, either through the moonlight or the reflection of the electric light in low clouds, however, neither one nor the other were present on that night. The exterior was in total darkness.

"(Quite a silence place…)"

The darkness was such that the shadows of branches, bushes and trees give a false interpretation of "something" hidden in them.

Even the wind had stopped blowing.

Nor insects or birds like hours ago...

...Passing the view through the forest seemed to sense something from one side of her eyes. By turning to see the same point, there was nothing.

"(That…)"

Or so she thought at first.

...She pulled her head a little and squinted.

It was hard to tell, but it seemed there was something there, watching.

Something inert, static, waiting.

And that something ... approached before her in a blink.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH GHAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"¡Gh!"

A sharp and loud scream left her breathless.

Just after back because of fear, that "something" was not there. Instead, they began to feel violent blows against the minibus in unknown directions, so strong that separated it from the ground at times

She, recognized for her calm nature, now showed signs of panic.

And was not alone.

[¡¿W-WHAT IS...!?]

[¡GYAAAAH!]

Others were disturbed in the same way. There was none that could be still sleeping.

[¡AAAAH! ¡SHIIIIT!]

[¡OH MY GOD!]

"¡B-BERTHOLD! ¡TURN ON THE…! ¡GO!", shouted desperately Kyklo, making efforts to establish himself holding the seats.

The movement of the little bus did not allow them to be quiet, which was a problem for the tall guy attempting to insert the key in vain.

"¡I-I CAN'T! ¡I-I CAN NOT...!"

When finally achieve it and turned it on, the minibus was hit again, much stronger than the previous times.

[¡AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!]

The car took two full turns to the left. The objects flew in and the guys saw their "lights off".

Once stopped on its wheels, calm returned.

The young boys and girls rejoined slowly.

"¡Holy shit...! ¡¿What the hell… was that!?", asked Eren shocked. He held his head, still dazed by the recent turmoil.

He looked everywhere, seeing that other people were hardly recovering. He realized then that there was "someone" behind the minibus.

"G-Gah... ah..."

He looked puzzled.

"¡L-L-LASS UNS HIER RAUS!"

He had heard it in German, but it was almost instinct that Berthold terrified understood. Stepped on the accelerator with all his might.

The silhouette of black persecuted them. Unrecognizable rather than giving the impression of moving on two feet.

It waved its arms and legs abnormally and in unprecedented speed. In human terms that would be synonymous to defy the laws of physics.

[¡FASTER! ¡GODDAMMIT! ¡IT'S REACHING US!]

[¡OH GOD! ¡PLEASE NOOO!]

They were not on the asphalt road and at the entrance to the forest anymore, they had opened up between the trees without knowing whether they were advancing or retreating. Panic was inevitable and confusion was following close.

"¡Berth, look out!", Annie pointed, but it was too late.

...Were found with a prominent tree in front of them. The sound of windows breaking apart was the last...

* * *

><p><em>The trail is existence, the light awaiting at the end is eternal... <em>

* * *

><p><em>.<em>


End file.
